Techno-Economic Analysis of Methanol-Based Hydrogen and Electricity Production

The aim of this study is to carry out a techno-economic analysis of the methanol supply chain for hydrogen and electricity production. This includes the transportation of methanol to coastal areas via ships and its subsequent utilization in either a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) or a Methanol Electrolysis Cell (MEC). In the first case, experimental tests will be carried out in the laboratory on various single-cell DMFC prototypes, under the same operating conditions but with different anode plate active area geometries. For the MECs, previously acquired experimental data from the same laboratory will be used. In both cases, the collected data will be used to perform an economic analysis aimed at determining the production cost of electricity and hydrogen. Additionally, the study will include a theoretical assessment of carbon capture and storage (CCS), initially considering both zeolite and amine technologies. The focus will then shift specifically to zeolites, particularly zeolite X. A laboratory experiment will also be conducted in this context to quantify the amount of CO₂ in the output stream of a DMFC single cell.