ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF METHANOL SYNTHESIS BY CO_2 FROM COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS

摘要

The coal-fired power plants are major consumers of fossil fuels and responsible for above 10% of the total Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission to the atmosphere. These GHG can be substantially mitigated by combing multi-step shift with methanol synthesis (CO_2→CO→CH_3OH). This paper conducted life cycle assessment on this noble methanol synthesis, predicted that process has more sensitivity to cost of electric energy than capital and feedstock costs, electric cost below 0.03 US$ per kWh is acceptable for synthesis methanol, and the spare electric energy from hydraulic and nuclear power appears to be a more attractive option. The O_2/CO_2 recycle combustion of coal-fired power plants would provide sufficient CO_2 resource for producing methanol, and the GHG emission from coal-fired power plants avoidance of about 95%.