What is required for resource-circular CO₂ utilization within Mega-Methanol (MM) production?

The negative effects of climate change coupled with declining fossil fuel reserves have sparked interest in cleaner alternative fuel sources. Methanol has surfaced as an acceptable solution due to its practicality and high hydrogen content. With its increased popularity, global demand supports the advent of the mega-methanol (MM) industry. Considering current MM technologies, auto-thermal reforming presents a viable low cost, low carbon option over traditional steam methane reforming. However, greater climate mitigation can be achieved utilizing carbon capture storage (CCS) and utilization (CCU) platforms. Through the hydrogenation of captured CO2 with clean hydrogen, directly within conventional MM production, greater methanol productivity and lower GHG emissions can be realized. Thus, in this study, we examine the use of CCU in achieving sustainable operations within the MM process through techno-economic and environmental assessments- informing on process development for future MM projects. Although our results illustrate lower GHG emissions associated with CCUS, CCS arises as the more sustainable option while CCU pathways lead to significant burden-shifting linked to increased electricity consumption. Thus, only with greater commitments to decarbonize the US electricity grid and increase research and development can CCU support a sustainable resource-circular strategy, with methane pyrolysis emerging as the most viable technological platform.