IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v336y2025ics0360544225041179.html

Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a novel biomass-derived methanol production assisted by electrolytic H2 adjustment and O2 recirculation

Author

Listed:
  • Huang, Ziqi
  • Wu, Zhicong
  • Xu, Gang
  • Zhang, Tianci
  • Dong, Wei

Abstract

To address global imperatives for energy transition and renewable energy utilization, a novel biomass gasification-green hydrogen-to-methanol system (BG-H2-MeOH) is proposed. The core contributions comprise: (1) By systematically replacing energy-intensive units such as ASU and WGSR with green hydrogen and its derived components, we achieve efficient elemental-level conversion of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. This approach significantly enhances system carbon conversion efficiency, energy efficiency, and renewables integration capacity; (2) A graded energy cascade integration mechanism minimizing process exergy destruction through grade-matched recovery of waste heat/chemical potential and optimized exergy transfer, amplifying synergistic effects across energy flows. Under constant total energy input, biomass contribution decreases from 100.00 % to 51.25 % while carbon conversion reaches 94.60 %. Efficient waste heat/purge gas utilization and elimination of high-energy devices elevate net power generation to 11.65 MW, reducing exergy destruction by 47.05 MW. Consequently, system energy and exergy efficiencies rise by 10.36 % and 13.52 %, respectively. Economic benefits include a 58.1 M$ increase in net present value and 3.1-year decrease in discounted payback period, enabling carbon-neutral power-liquid fuel co-production. Sensitivity analysis confirms optimal performance at 1300 °C gasification temperature, 250 °C/50 bar methanol synthesis conditions, and 2.05 (H2-CO2)/(CO + CO2) syngas mole ratio. Furthermore, the system performs optimally economically when hydrogen prices are low and methanol prices are high.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Ziqi & Wu, Zhicong & Xu, Gang & Zhang, Tianci & Dong, Wei, 2025. "Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a novel biomass-derived methanol production assisted by electrolytic H2 adjustment and O2 recirculation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:336:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225041179
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.138475
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225041179
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.138475?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bareschino, P. & Mancusi, E. & Tregambi, C. & Pepe, F. & Urciuolo, M. & Brachi, P. & Ruoppolo, G., 2021. "Integration of biomasses gasification and renewable-energies-driven water electrolysis for methane production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    2. Yan, Linbo & Wang, Ziqi & Cao, Yang & He, Boshu, 2020. "Comparative evaluation of two biomass direct-fired power plants with carbon capture and sequestration," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 1188-1198.
    3. Pal, D.B. & Chand, R. & Upadhyay, S.N. & Mishra, P.K., 2018. "Performance of water gas shift reaction catalysts: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 549-565.
    4. Zhang, Hanfei & Wang, Ligang & Pérez-Fortes, Mar & Van herle, Jan & Maréchal, François & Desideri, Umberto, 2020. "Techno-economic optimization of biomass-to-methanol with solid-oxide electrolyzer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    5. Dinca, Cristian & Slavu, Nela & Cormoş, Călin-Cristian & Badea, Adrian, 2018. "CO2 capture from syngas generated by a biomass gasification power plant with chemical absorption process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 925-936.
    6. Siddig S. Khalafalla & Umer Zahid & Abdul Gani Abdul Jameel & Usama Ahmed & Feraih S. Alenazey & Chul-Jin Lee, 2020. "Conceptual Design Development of Coal-to-Methanol Process with Carbon Capture and Utilization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-21, December.
    7. Wu, Zhicong & Xu, Gang & Huang, Ziqi & Ge, Shiyu & Chen, Heng, 2024. "An efficient carbon-neutral power and methanol polygeneration system based on biomass decarbonization and CO2 hydrogenation: Thermodynamic and economic analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    8. Antonio Molino & Vincenzo Larocca & Simeone Chianese & Dino Musmarra, 2018. "Biofuels Production by Biomass Gasification: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-31, March.
    9. Ali, Shahid & Sørensen, Kim & Nielsen, Mads P., 2020. "Modeling a novel combined solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) - Biomass gasification renewable methanol production system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1025-1034.
    10. Anicic, B. & Trop, P. & Goricanec, D., 2014. "Comparison between two methods of methanol production from carbon dioxide," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 279-289.
    11. Ren, Bo-Ping & Xu, Yi-Peng & Huang, Yu-Wei & She, Chen & Sun, Bo, 2023. "Methanol production from natural gas reforming and CO2 capturing process, simulation, design, and technical-economic analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PC).
    12. Olajire, Abass A., 2010. "CO2 capture and separation technologies for end-of-pipe applications – A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 2610-2628.
    13. Chen, Heng & Zhang, Meiyan & Xue, Kai & Xu, Gang & Yang, Yongping & Wang, Zepeng & Liu, Wenyi & Liu, Tong, 2020. "An innovative waste-to-energy system integrated with a coal-fired power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    14. Xu, Qilong & Wang, Shuai & Luo, Kun & Mu, Yanfei & Pan, Lu & Fan, Jianren, 2023. "Process modelling and optimization of a 250 MW IGCC system: Model setup, validation, and preliminary predictions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    15. Xu, Qilong & Wang, Shuai & Luo, Kun & Mu, Yanfei & Pan, Lu & Fan, Jianren, 2023. "Process modelling and optimization of a 250 MW IGCC system: ASU optimization and thermodynamic analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    16. Wu, Zhicong & Zhang, Ziyue & Xu, Gang & Ge, Shiyu & Xue, Xiaojun & Chen, Heng, 2024. "Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a new methanol synthesis system coupled with a biomass integrated gasification combined cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    17. Jin, Hongguang & Zhao, Hongbin & Liu, Zelong & Cai, Ruixian, 2004. "A novel EFHAT system and exergy analysis with energy utilization diagram," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(12), pages 1983-1991.
    18. Andersson, Jim & Lundgren, Joakim, 2014. "Techno-economic analysis of ammonia production via integrated biomass gasification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 484-490.
    19. Im-orb, Karittha & Arpornwichanop, Amornchai, 2020. "Process and sustainability analyses of the integrated biomass pyrolysis, gasification, and methanol synthesis process for methanol production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wu, Zhicong & Xu, Gang & Huang, Ziqi & Ge, Shiyu & Chen, Heng, 2024. "An efficient carbon-neutral power and methanol polygeneration system based on biomass decarbonization and CO2 hydrogenation: Thermodynamic and economic analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    2. Detchusananard, Thanaphorn & Wiranarongkorn, Kunlanan & Im-orb, Karittha, 2024. "Techno-economic performance analysis of biomass-to-methanol with solid oxide electrolyzer for sustainable bio-methanol production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    3. Tabibian, Seyed Shayan & Sharifzadeh, Mahdi, 2023. "Statistical and analytical investigation of methanol applications, production technologies, value-chain and economy with a special focus on renewable methanol," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    4. Kim, Dohee & Kim, Taehyun & Kim, Yungeon & Park, Jinwoo, 2025. "Integration of biomass gasification and water electrolysis: Importance of sweep gas selection," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 393(C).
    5. Detchusananard, Thanaphorn & Wiranarongkorn, Kunlanan & Im-orb, Karittha, 2025. "Assessment of bio-methanol and electricity co-production via the integration of biomass-to-methanol process, solid oxide electrolyzer, and power generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).
    6. Zhang, Hanfei & Wang, Ligang & Pérez-Fortes, Mar & Van herle, Jan & Maréchal, François & Desideri, Umberto, 2020. "Techno-economic optimization of biomass-to-methanol with solid-oxide electrolyzer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    7. Fan, Lanxin & Chen, Heng & Gao, Yue & Zhao, Huanlin & Yao, Lei & Li, Yu & Zhao, Shuyuan & Pan, Peiyuan, 2025. "Performance analysis of a novel power generation design containing the drying and Co-gasification of sludge and biomass integrated with the waste heat recovery of a cement plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    8. Sun, Shaodong & Li, Zhi & Yuan, Benfeng & Sima, Yapeng & Dai, Yue & Wang, Wanting & He, Zhilong & Li, Chengxin, 2024. "A new pathway to integrate novel coal-to-methanol system with solid oxide fuel cell and electrolysis cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    9. Sterkhov, K.V. & Khokhlov, D.A. & Zaichenko, M.N., 2024. "Zero carbon emission CCGT power plant with integrated solid fuel gasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    10. Liu, Jieying & Liu, Guanghui & Lu, Cuiying & Dang, Rui & Gao, Yong, 2025. "Natural gas reforming for LNG and methanol production: Sustainability and economic viability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    11. Skaugen, Geir & Bueie, Jonas & Reyes-Lúa, Adriana & Ditaranto, Mario, 2025. "Effect of use of zero-carbon and low-carbon fuels on the performance of compact combined cycles for power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    12. Zhang, Hanfei & Wang, Ligang & Van herle, Jan & Maréchal, François & Desideri, Umberto, 2020. "Techno-economic comparison of green ammonia production processes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    13. Zhang, Hanfei & Wang, Ligang & Van herle, Jan & Maréchal, François & Desideri, Umberto, 2021. "Techno-economic comparison of 100% renewable urea production processes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    14. Xin, Yu & Xing, Xueli & Li, Xiang & Hong, Hui, 2024. "A biomass–solar hybrid gasification system by solar pyrolysis and PV– Solid oxide electrolysis cell for sustainable fuel production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 356(C).
    15. Li, Jichao & Han, Wei & Song, Xinyang & Li, Peijing & Wang, Zefeng & Jin, Hongguang, 2024. "Near-zero carbon emission power generation system enabled by staged coal gasification and chemical recuperation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    16. Wu, Zhicong & Zhang, Ziyue & Xu, Gang & Ge, Shiyu & Xue, Xiaojun & Chen, Heng, 2024. "Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a new methanol synthesis system coupled with a biomass integrated gasification combined cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    17. Barco Burgos, Jimmy & Bruno, Joan Carles & Ganesan, Aravind & Cimmino, Luca & Garcia-G, Deivi & Saldaña-Robles, Alberto & Joya-Cárdenas, Diego R. & Delgado Monroy, José & Colombo, José & Ortiz Valdez,, 2025. "Techno-economic analysis of integrated biomass gasification and alkaline electrolysis for 5th generation district energy networks in Quebec, Canada," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    18. Nogueira Nakashima, Rafael & Nami, Hossein & Nemati, Arash & Butera, Giacomo & de Oliveira Junior, Silvio & Vang Hendriksen, Peter & Frandsen, Henrik Lund, 2025. "Techno-economic evaluation of pyrolysis and electrolysis integration for methanol and char production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    19. Xu, Qilong & Li, Xiaofei & Yu, Jiahui & Wang, Shuai & Luo, Kun & Fan, Jianren, 2024. "Optimization of parameters and thermodynamics of gasification process for enhanced CO2 capture in an IGCC system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    20. Jeong, Ji Hun & Kim, Tong Seop, 2025. "Integrating ammonia cracking with gas turbine combined cycle for enhanced hydrogen utilization and reduced CO2 emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 319(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:336:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225041179. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.