Comparative Technoeconomic Analysis of Pathways for Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 with Methanol to Produce Methyl Formate
Electrochemical CO2 reduction has promise as a technology that could help society reach carbon neutrality while producing valuable fuels and chemicals. Herein, the electrochemical synthesis of methyl formate, a product not observed in aqueous CO2 electrolysis, has been analyzed by a rigorous technoeconomic model to evaluate its commercial viability. Methyl formate synthesis has been demonstrated with high faradaic efficiency through the electroreduction of CO2 in methanol. Four competing approaches were analyzed: (1) Electroreduction of captured CO2 in a dual CH3OH/H2O electrolyzer, (2) Direct electroreduction of flue gas CO2 in a dual CH3OH/H2O electrolyzer, (3) Electroreduction of captured CO2 in a CH3OH/CH3OH electrolyzer, and (4) Electroreduction of captured CO2 in a H2O/H2O electrolyzer with a downstream CH3OH reactor. Sensitivity analyses, cost contour plots, and comparison plots were generated. The dual methanol/water electrolysis approach was the most cost-competitive, with a levelized cost of methyl formate below the present market price. Here, the all-methanol electrolysis route was more expensive due to increased methanol consumption and greater distillation costs. Methyl formate production through aqueous CO2 electrolysis to formic acid with a secondary esterification reaction was by far the most expensive approach, primarily due to the energy-intensive nature of distilling formic acid from water.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Louisville, KY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FE0031916
- OSTI ID:
- 1901579
- Journal Information:
- ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Vol. 10, Issue 38; ISSN 2168-0485
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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