Anaya et al. (2026): Net-negative emission methanol from direct air capture and water electrolysis: A comprehensive analysis of multiple energy pathways

Karina Anaya, Jubil Joy, Amit Kumar, IN: Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2026.103529

Deep decarbonization requires pathways that remove CO₂ and convert it into products, yet published DAC-electrolysis-methanol studies often assume simplified CO₂/H₂ inputs and rarely compare dispatchable energy supplies under consistent techno-economic and cradle-to-gate greenhouse-gas boundaries. Here, a bottom-up analysis integrates direct air capture (DAC), alkaline water electrolysis (AWE), and CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol, and evaluates three energy-supply configurations: grid or renewable electricity with natural gas process heat (scenario 1); integration of an Allam cycle supplied with electrolytic oxygen from AWE to provide on-site power and additional CO₂ (scenario 2); and on-site electricity and heat from high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (scenario 3). Carbon pricing and uncertainty analysis are performed. Each case includes a 1 Mt-CO₂/y potassium hydroxide (KOH)-calcium (Ca) looping DAC unit, and methanol capacity varies with available CO₂ sources.

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