Electricity-Based Methanol: Status and Prospects of Methanol as a Power-To-Liquid Product

Stefan Bube; Steffen Voß; Nils Bullerdiek; Ulf Neuling; Martin Kaltschmitt

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-62411-7_24

Electricity-Based Methanol: Status and Prospects of Methanol as a Power-To-Liquid Product

Stefan Bube^*
, Steffen Voß
, Nils Bullerdiek
, Ulf Neuling
, Martin Kaltschmitt

^*Corresponding author for this work

Hamburg University of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Methanol is one of the most widely used basic chemicals, with increasing demand driven by olefin production, especially in Asia. Traditionally produced from fossil fuels, particularly natural gas and coal, methanol production contributes significantly to global CO₂ emissions. Transitioning to renewable feedstocks, such as electricity-based methanol (e-methanol) via power-to-methanol (PtM) pathways, is critical for achieving carbon neutrality. This chapter explores current market developments, technical state-of-the-art, as well as technological and economic implications of a transition toward power-based methanol production. Despite mainly economic challenges, PtM offers a pathway to defossilize the chemical industry and transport sector, potentially increasing methanol demand in the future.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Green Energy and Technology
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages	667-711
Number of pages	45
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-62411-7_24
Publication status	Published - 2025
Externally published	Yes

Publication series

Name	Green Energy and Technology
Volume	Part F3771
ISSN (Print)	1865-3529
ISSN (Electronic)	1865-3537

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13 Climate Action

Keywords

E-methanol
Methanol
Methanol marke
Mixed alcohol synthesis
Power-to-methanol (PtM)
Synthesis
Techno-economics

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-62411-7_24

Cite this

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title = "Electricity-Based Methanol: Status and Prospects of Methanol as a Power-To-Liquid Product",

abstract = "Methanol is one of the most widely used basic chemicals, with increasing demand driven by olefin production, especially in Asia. Traditionally produced from fossil fuels, particularly natural gas and coal, methanol production contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions. Transitioning to renewable feedstocks, such as electricity-based methanol (e-methanol) via power-to-methanol (PtM) pathways, is critical for achieving carbon neutrality. This chapter explores current market developments, technical state-of-the-art, as well as technological and economic implications of a transition toward power-based methanol production. Despite mainly economic challenges, PtM offers a pathway to defossilize the chemical industry and transport sector, potentially increasing methanol demand in the future.",

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author = "Stefan Bube and Steffen Vo{\ss} and Nils Bullerdiek and Ulf Neuling and Martin Kaltschmitt",

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series = "Green Energy and Technology",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

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booktitle = "Green Energy and Technology",

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Electricity-Based Methanol: Status and Prospects of Methanol as a Power-To-Liquid Product. / Bube, Stefan; Voß, Steffen; Bullerdiek, Nils et al.
Green Energy and Technology. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. p. 667-711 (Green Energy and Technology; Vol. Part F3771).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Electricity-Based Methanol

T2 - Status and Prospects of Methanol as a Power-To-Liquid Product

AU - Bube, Stefan

AU - Voß, Steffen

AU - Bullerdiek, Nils

AU - Neuling, Ulf

AU - Kaltschmitt, Martin

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Methanol is one of the most widely used basic chemicals, with increasing demand driven by olefin production, especially in Asia. Traditionally produced from fossil fuels, particularly natural gas and coal, methanol production contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions. Transitioning to renewable feedstocks, such as electricity-based methanol (e-methanol) via power-to-methanol (PtM) pathways, is critical for achieving carbon neutrality. This chapter explores current market developments, technical state-of-the-art, as well as technological and economic implications of a transition toward power-based methanol production. Despite mainly economic challenges, PtM offers a pathway to defossilize the chemical industry and transport sector, potentially increasing methanol demand in the future.

AB - Methanol is one of the most widely used basic chemicals, with increasing demand driven by olefin production, especially in Asia. Traditionally produced from fossil fuels, particularly natural gas and coal, methanol production contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions. Transitioning to renewable feedstocks, such as electricity-based methanol (e-methanol) via power-to-methanol (PtM) pathways, is critical for achieving carbon neutrality. This chapter explores current market developments, technical state-of-the-art, as well as technological and economic implications of a transition toward power-based methanol production. Despite mainly economic challenges, PtM offers a pathway to defossilize the chemical industry and transport sector, potentially increasing methanol demand in the future.

KW - E-methanol

KW - Methanol

KW - Methanol marke

KW - Mixed alcohol synthesis

KW - Power-to-methanol (PtM)

KW - Synthesis

KW - Techno-economics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85212247933

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-62411-7_24

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-62411-7_24

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:85212247933

T3 - Green Energy and Technology

SP - 667

EP - 711

BT - Green Energy and Technology

PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

ER -

Electricity-Based Methanol: Status and Prospects of Methanol as a Power-To-Liquid Product

Abstract

Publication series

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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