Comprehensive Evaluation of Methanol Synthesis and Utilization System for Making Use of Remote Wind Power Energy

Abstract

For the purpose of mitigating carbon dioxide emissions, three renewable energy transportation systems are proposed in which methanol is synthesized by use of wind power generation energy at an oversea and is transported to Japan to be used for a power generation. The proposed systems are the following three systems: (1) wind energy and captured CO₂ utilization system, (2) wind energy and coal utilization system, and (3) wind energy and biomass utilization system. The characteristic and cost of the proposed systems’ components such as a wind power generation and a methanol synthesis plants are investigated, and so are the energy and carbon flows of the systems, assuming that the wind power generation plant is constructed at the eastern coast of Russia. Major indicators such as energy efficiency, methanol cost, CO₂ reduction cost, etc., of the proposed systems are evaluated together with those of a similar CO₂ recycling system utilizing hydraulic power. On the basis of the evaluation results, the wind energy and biomass utilization system is shown to be the most excellent among the evaluated systems from the viewpoints of the CO₂ reduction cost. When LNG cost is increased, its estimated CO₂ reduction cost islower than that of a CO₂ recovery system adopted to a conventional LNG-fired power plant. Consequently, the proposed system is expected to be a feasible option for CO₂ reduction in the near future when the wind power generation cost is much decreased.