PERSPECTIVE ON METHANOL AS A TRANSPORTATION FUEL Bio4Energy Researchers Meeting Skellefteå 15 November, 2017 Ingvar Landälv 15 November 2017 11
Key Conversion pathways for renewable Methanol Process step Gasification Shift Methanol synthesis Conversion from / to Conversion route Biomass to H2+CO Non-shifted to shifted syngas Syngas to methanol product TOTAL Biomass to methanol Biomass gasification, Case A 0.7-0.8 0.96-0.97 0.79-0.8 0.53-0.62 BLG to Methanol, Case B (Biomass added to compensate) Biomass to PO combined with BLG, Case C * 0.65-0.7 ** 0.49-0.6 * Conversion of BL to syngas and further on to methanol does not make sense (as for biomass gasification) as the overall calculation as explained in the subchapter about BLGMF concepts relates to the biomass addition to the system to compensate for withdrawal of BL normally being fired in a recovery boiler. See ref. ** When PO is added to a BLGMF system PO energy is converted to methanol with about 70% energy efficiency as described under Case C. Production efficiency of PO from biomass is multiplied with this efficiency to get the TOTAL value. 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 2
80 70 Methanol Production Potential - Sweden Methanol Production (TWh) 60 50 Energy Conversion efficiency 40 30 20 10 20 40 60 80 100 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 3 Low/high data for Swedish biomass potential Biomass feedstock (TWh)
Fuel concepts utilizing sources of low cost hydrogen Hydrogen can efficiently be fed to the syngas conditioning and purification section of a gasification to fuels plant and accomplish 50-60% higher fuel production from the same amount of biomass feedstock 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 4
Adding external Hydrogen to a syngas train BEFORE AFTER + 55 % 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 5
Production Cost of renewable methanol Typical production Cost level, 60-75 EUR/MWh Feedstock base: 21 EUR/MWh Investment Base Base +20% Capital Feedstock O&M Power Power 20y/ 15y/ 10y/ Other Base +25% 60 EUR/ 70 EUR/ 10% 10% 10% O&M MWh MWh (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (3) (3) (3) (3) (4) (4) (4) (4) (5) (5) (5) (5) (6) (6) (6) (6) 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 6
Methanol Use in Engines (some examples) Engine Low methanol blend in gasoline High methanol blend in gasoline GEM Marine Applications MD95 PPC, Partial Premix Combustion Methanol in Fuel Cells Comment 3% (v) allowed in European Gasoline First of all a Chinese experience but also corresponding concept on ethanol in Brazil Gasoline/Ethanol/Methanol fuel blends E85 = M56 and GEM mixes in between. Typically 95% methanol with an ignitor operated in diesel mode Scania s well proven ED95 can be adjusted to operate on methanol as MD95 Development going on at Lund University and elsewhere. M100 is a prime fuel candidate Prevailing concept in 1980s/1990s now reinvented by e.g. Nissan (on board reforming of alcohol to hydrogen). 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 7
The long term perspective 1 The 1970/80s and the oil crises 1980 1990 2000 2010 Periods of High Crude Oil Prices Periods when methanol is looked at as an alternative to crude oil products Oil majors went for methanol when the world was hit by oil crises in the 1970s and 1980s Increased concern regarding the GHG issue Renewable fuel market development 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 8
Sweden, Norway Germany, USA and others run large test fleets on M15, M85 and M100 for many years 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 9
METHANOL FROM NATURAL GAS When capital is payed back, which is done in 4-5 years, only cash cost remains. This is in the order of 13-23 EUR/MWh for NG plants with current typical gas prices. Natural Gas price USD/ton USD/MWh EUR/MWh 4 USD/MMBtu (12.2 EUR/MWh) 2 USD/MMBtu (6.1 EUR/MWh) Cash Cost 140 25 23 Capital Cost 238 43 38 TOTAL 378 68 61 Cash Cost 82 15 13 Capital Cost 238 43 38 TOTAL 320 58 51 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 10
Production Cost of various advanced biofuels (from Cost of Biofuels, Subgroup Advanced Biofuels) Methanol from Natural Gas Incl. Capital @ 5 years / 15% Cask costs @ NG price of 2-4 USD/MMBtu 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 11
Photo from space showing flaring of various hydrocarbons (SkyTruth, 2016) See: https://viirs.skytruth.org/apps/heatmap/flaringmap.html#lat=29.43243&lon=15.26825&zoom=3&offset=15 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 12
The long term perspective 2 The 1990s and introduction of biofuels 1980 1990 2000 2010 Periods of High Crude Oil Prices Periods when methanol is looked at as an alternative to crude oil products Oil majors went for methanol at the oil crises in the 1970s and 1980s Increased concern regarding the GHG issue Renewable fuel market development but when the renewables fuel market started to evolve in the 1990s methanol was banned. It now was corrosive and toxic. 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 13
Safety: Methanol as compared to gasoline with respect to fire risk Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 1994) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) (Machiele, 1990) Projections indicate that casualties would drop dramatically if methanol were substituted for gasoline as the country s primary automotive fuel. Lower volatility of methanol compared to gasoline Higher flammability requirement (four times higher concentration of methanol vapor needed to ignite compared to gasoline) Lower vapour density of methanol avoids dens gas clouds along the ground Lower heat release rate (an eighth compared to gasoline) 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 14
Methanol is approved as bunker fuel by Lloyds. It has piggybacked on corresponding work done for LNG. (It is less complicated. It is e.g. OK to store methanol in space formed by double bottom construction of the vessel) 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 15
The long term perspective 3 Resent developments in principle cost driven 1980 1990 2000 2010 Periods of High Crude Oil Prices Periods when methanol is looked at as an alternative to crude oil products Increased concern regarding the GHG issue Renewable fuel market development 1. Marine sector goes for Methanol as bunker fuel 2. China selects methanol as fuel when converting its domestic coal to a fuel 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 16
Methanol Standards in China REFLECTION: Most European auto makers have their largest market in China. How do their cars manage the methanol content in Chinese gasoline? 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 17
Methanol as bunker fuel and in various other applications 1. Marine Diesel Application 2. M56 in a SAAB BioPower E85 car 3. M100 in speedway motor cycle 4. M95-M100 in Pilot Boat (different engines under test) 1 A Marine engine applications A. MAN Turbo and Diesel B. Wärtsilä 4 2 3 B 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 18
Presentation complied from: METHANOL AS A RENEWABLE FUEL A KNOWLEDGE SYNTHESIS http://www.f3centre.se/sites/default/files/f3_2015-08_landalv_final_170918_0.pdf Some Conclusions Methanol is toxic and corrosive but is overall not more challenging to use as an automotive fuel than other fuel alternatives. From many aspects it is simpler. Storage and handling of methanol is well known BioMethanol has a high production potential BioMethanol has comparably low production cost Conversion efficiency form feedstock to BioMethanol is comparably high Methanol is one of the most efficient fuels for IC-engines and Fuel Cell applications Work has been financed through contributions from f3, The Swedish Knowledge Centre for Renewable Transport Fuels LTU, Luleå University of Technology 15 Nov. 2017 Ingvar Landälv 19