e-Methanol Concept Select Study

Objective

To design and evaluate an off-grid, scalable e-Methanol (eMeOH) production facility using biogenic CO2 and renewable energy-driven green hydrogen production, ensuring optimal techno-economic performance and readiness for Front-End Engineering Design (FEED).

Project Scope

The Concept Select Study for ETFuels eMeOH facility involved:

1. Developing a technical and commercial system model to simulate plant performance over its lifecycle, using real-world renewable energy data.
2. Assessing multiple facility architectures and energy storage configurations, focusing on the optimal design for minimising Levelised Cost of Methanol (LCOM).
3. Evaluating electrolyser OEMs, methanol process licensors and energy storage solutions to determine the most efficient and economically viable options.
4. Proposing capacity expansion strategies and a pre-investment philosophy for phased development.

Findings & Recommendations

Findings

• Optimal Design Configuration: The best economic performance was achieved using a Li-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for baseload power only (Architecture 1). Other configurations, such as using stored energy for hydrogen production or combining thermal and battery storage, led to increased costs and reduced project performance.
• Electrolyser Selection: An OEM’s PEM electrolyser demonstrated superior energy efficiency, dynamic response and lower operational costs compared to another OEM’s alkaline electrolyser.
• Methanol Process Licensors: A Licensor’s process showed better energy efficiency and lower hydrogen and CO2 consumption rates, although another Licensor’s offered lower initial CAPEX.
• Renewable Energy Mix: A 50/50 solar-to-wind energy split with ~300 MWp wind and ~300 MWp solar was optimal for the site’s P50 renewable profiles.

Recommendations

1. Advance Architecture 1, using a Li-ion BESS for baseload power, to the FEED phase.
2. Carry both electrolyser and methanol process licensor options forward for further validation during FEED, focusing on dynamic performance guarantees.
3. Optimise hydrogen and CO2 storage systems to ensure continuous plant operation and mitigate operational risks.
4. Consider scaling up initial facility capacity, as economies of scale enhance long-term project profitability.