Component Sizing and Process Optimization for Sustainable E-Methanol Production: A Model-Based Approach

The transition to a sustainable energy system requires the development of alternative pathways that can effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring economic feasibility. Among these, e-fuels represent a promising solution, with e-methanol standing out as a particularly important synthetic fuel. Produced from renewable hydrogen and captured CO2, e-methanol has gained increasing attention due to its potential to support decarbonization efforts across chemical and energy sectors. This Master of Science thesis focuses on the optimization of e-methanol production processes employing mixed integer-linear programming (MILP) techniques to minimize the net present value of all the costs the system incurs over its lifetime to achieve higher efficiency while minimizing energy consumption. This work adopts a comprehensive approach, optimizing both the sizing and operation of all plant components —including renewable energy sources, the electrolyzer, storage systems for energy, hydrogen, and CO2, as well as the methanol synthesis reactor—ensuring the maximum e-methanol output for the given constraints. By incorporating real-world constraints such as the CO2 capture availability from an existing industrial plant, this study provides a realistic optimization model for industrial-scale e-methanol production. Furthermore, one of the key objectives of this work is to analyze the dependence of e-methanol production on plant location and consequently on the availability of renewable energy sources which is crucial for assessing the viability of different installation sites and identifying optimal conditions for production. Specifically, the selection of locations offering abundant and consistent natural resources, such as solar and wind energy, plays a significant role in plant optimization. This strategic choice allows for a reduction in installed power capacity, leading to lower costs and increased market potential of the final product. Ultimately, this research aims to support the development of strategies that can enhance the competitiveness of e-methanol, which is currently underutilized and remains economically challenging compared to conventional fuels.