The Duality of Methanol & Hydrogen

In the ever-evolving saga of combating climate change, we find ourselves grappling with two formidable opponents: Complexity and Cost. In this narrative, Methanol emerges as the determined David, while Hydrogen stands as the formidable Goliath.

Let's unravel their tales in this Part III of our newsletter.

Complexity: A Dance of Gases

The Earth's climate intricately weaves a complex tapestry involving the atmosphere, oceans, land, and living organisms. The carbon and nitrogen cycles intricately intertwine, influencing the concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change. These gases exhibit variations in radiative efficiency and atmospheric lifetime, prompting the use of the Global Warming Potential (GWP) metric for comparison. GWP quantifies the energy absorption of 1 ton of a gas relative to 1 ton of carbon dioxide over a specified period:

• CO2 serves as the reference with a GWP of 1, reflecting its enduring presence in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
• Methane boasts a GWP of 27-30 over 100 years, despite its shorter atmospheric residence time of approximately a decade. This higher GWP accounts for CH4's elevated energy absorption and considers indirect effects such as its role as a precursor to ozone, itself a greenhouse gas.
• Nitrous Oxide commands a formidable GWP of 273 compared to CO2 over a 100-year duration, and emitted N2O persists in the atmosphere for more than a century on average.
• Certain gases, including CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs, PFCs, and SF6, classified as high-GWP gases, exhibit significantly greater heat-trapping capacities than CO2, with GWPs reaching into the thousands or tens of thousands.

The reason CO2 often takes center stage in discussions is that it is the most prevalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted by human activities, particularly through the burning of fossil fuels. It stays in the atmosphere for an extended period, contributing to long-term climate impacts. Methane, despite having a shorter atmospheric lifetime than CO2, is a potent GHG, and its emissions also play a crucial role in global warming. Nitrous oxide, with a high global warming potential, adds to the complexity of the climate change challenge.

Mitigation of GHG must consider not only CO2 but also the other long-lived greenhouse gases. A so-called multi-gas strategy has been found to achieve the same climate goal but at considerably lower costs than a CO2-only strategy.

Cost: The Evolution of Energy Economics

As countries begin heeding the clarion call to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, it's worth reflecting on what it will take to achieve net zero, especially for countries like India that heavily depend on energy imports and are just beginning their developmental trajectory. When India’s first solar project was commissioned in 2011, a 40-megawatt (MW) installation in Bitta, Gujarat, the initial tariff was 15 INR per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (almost $0.30) while the panel efficiency was 14-15%. Today, the lowest tariff in India is as low as 1.99 INR per kWh ($0.024), and the panel efficiency is 23%. Renewable sources like solar and wind have made strides, but their on-and-off nature calls for energy storage solutions when the weather isn't cooperating. To fully transition industries, heavy-duty transport, and chemicals away from fossil fuels we need a sustainable alternative—a green molecule.

David and Goliath: Hydrogen's Achilles' Heels

The phrase "David and Goliath" has taken on a more popular meaning, denoting an underdog situation, a contest wherein a smaller, weaker opponent faces a much bigger, stronger adversary. Drawing a metaphorical parallel, hydrogen assumes the roles of Goliath, uniquely positioned with the advantage of power. However, it's crucial to recognize that even Goliath has Achilles' heels. Despite its high energy content per unit mass, hydrogen, in its gaseous state, grapples with significant challenges in transportation and storage. The considerable costs are primarily rooted in the need for specialized infrastructure, often non-existent, and exacerbated by the necessity for extremely low temperatures (of -253°C) for liquefaction or high-pressure conditions (100-400 bar) for effective storage. These complexities add layers to the requirements for new infrastructure and underscore the practical challenges faced by hydrogen, revealing vulnerabilities beneath its seemingly powerful facade.

The implications of hydrogen leakage extend beyond the immediate concerns of storage and transportation. While hydrogen itself is a clean fuel when used directly, its indirect impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions becomes apparent. When released into the atmosphere, hydrogen can contribute to climate change, albeit indirectly. This occurs as hydrogen, being a symmetric molecule, participates in complex atmospheric reactions. Its presence influences the lifetimes of other potent greenhouse gases like methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) in the troposphere and stratosphere. These interactions result in a cascade effect on the overall greenhouse gas composition, emphasizing the need for comprehensive evaluations of hydrogen's environmental footprint.

Methanol's Duality: David and Goliath

Methanol (CH3OH), while having lower energy density compared to hydrogen, holds a unique advantage. Its liquid state at room temperature and atmospheric pressure eliminates the need for extreme conditions for storage, making it a practical and versatile solution. Additionally, being a globally traded chemical with infrastructure readily available at major ports, methanol presents a feasible option for transportation. Notably, methanol contains more hydrogen than liquid hydrogen itself and can be easily reformed back into hydrogen.

In this context, methanol takes on the dual roles of David and Goliath. Its simplicity becomes a powerful tool in overcoming the complexities associated with hydrogen. Significantly, green methanol can be efficiently produced from green hydrogen in regions with affordable renewable power. This methanol can then be transported to areas where direct production is economically challenging, providing a cost-effective solution equivalent to hydrogen but without the inherent risk of leakage.