This work assesses the opportunity of using “green” methanol (MeOH) produced from renewable electricity as a vector for the decarbonization of chemical process industry. We developed a comprehensive process model to simulate all the relevant sections for the conversion of 1.25 t/h of captured CO₂ from a coal-fired power plant to methanol, using “green” hydrogen via water electrolysis. We applied the pinch analysis methodology for an improved thermal management of the integrated carbon capture, electrolysis and methanol synthesis plant. A network of recovery heat exchangers was designed with the pinch analysis methodology, allowing a thermal energy saving of 4.59 MW, with a net reduction of heating and cooling demands by 81 % and 47 %, respectively, and an improvement of the global efficiency of the plant from 26.74 % to 37.22. We followed a bottom-up approach for the techno-economic assessment, defining a confidence range for the main indicators of system economic viability. We assessed their sensitivity to the cost of electricity from seven renewable energy sources and to the option of selling oxygen produced by water electrolysis, in three different cost scenarios (1-optimistic, 2-realistic, 3-pessimistic). The estimated values of the cost of methanol (COM) span from a maximum range of 2624–2706 €/t (in the case of concentrated solar power) to a minimum of 565–647 €/t (hydropower with highest valorization of electrolytic oxygen), hence resulting in line with the future trends of methanol market price (400–800 €/t) in five of the considered configurations. We have finally estimated the levelized cost of methanol (LCOM) ensuring an internal rate of return ranging from 0 to 10 % for each of the techno-economic scenarios identified. Assuming 10 % as the target, LCOM in case of hydropower as renewable energy source spans from 874 to 1356 €/t, hence close to the future market price of MeOH with margin of improvement (655–1135 €/t) in case of lower costs of electric energy.

这项工作评估了将可再生电力生产的“绿色”甲醇（MeOH）用作化学过程工业脱碳载体的机会。我们开发了一个综合的过程模型来模拟所有相关部分，以转换捕获的CO ₂ 1.25吨/小时从燃煤电厂到甲醇，通过水电解使用“绿色”氢气。我们应用收缩分析方法对集成的碳捕集，电解和甲醇合成装置进行改进的热管理。使用收缩分析方法设计了一个回收热交换器网络，可节省4.59 MW的热能，分别将供暖和制冷需求分别净减少81％和47％，并提高了全球效率。从26.74％升至37.22。我们采用了自下而上的技术经济评估方法，为系统经济生存能力的主要指标定义了置信范围。我们评估了他们对来自七个可再生能源的电力成本以及出售由水电解产生的氧气的选择的敏感性，在三种不同的成本情景中（1乐观，2现实，3悲观）。甲醇（COM）成本的估计值范围从最大范围2624–2706€/ t（在聚光太阳能的情况下）到最小565–647€/ t（水电具有最高的电解氧价） ），因此与考虑的五个配置中的甲醇市场价格（400-800€/ t）的未来趋势一致。我们最终估计了甲醇（LCOM）的平均成本，从而确保了所确定的每种技术经济情景的内部收益率在0％到10％之间。假设目标为10％，则水力发电（可再生能源）的LCOM价在874至1356欧元/吨之间，因此与MeOH的未来市场价格接近，在较低的情况下可以提高（655-1135欧元/吨）电能成本。