METHANOL FROM ATMOSPHERIC CARBON-DIOXIDE - A LIQUID ZERO EMISSION FUEL FOR THE FUTURE

Methanol is a promising liquid energy carrier for the storage of renew able energy. The comparison with hydrogen shows a lower total energy e fficiency for methanol. But methanol is easy to handle within the exis ting transport and storage capacities of the petrol industry. Therefor e it causes low investment costs for the infrastructure of a global re newable energy network. For the storage of small amounts of energy Lik e in individual traffic and for the distribution of energy in low popu lated regions methanol is even the most efficient alternative. Beside hydrogen, a basic component for the synthesis of methanol is CO2. The recovery of CO2 from atmosphere will avoid an infrastructure for CO2-t ransport to the place where methanol is generated. With solar energy a s the energy source a lower energy demand for the recovery of CO2 from atmosphere than from combustion fluegases can be achieved. An integra tion of biomass as basic product for the synthesis of methanol improve s the conversion efficiency from solar energy to methanol.