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Green methanolHow sustainable aviation fuel is produced
Air traffic accounts for around 2.5 percent of global CO₂ emissions. At the same time, demand for air travel and air freight is expected to continue rising. To reduce the sector’s emissions, alternative fuels are needed. One promising solution is so-called sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF.
Lower CO2 emissions from aviation: The potential of green methanol
Green methanol is one possible feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel. An expert from thyssenkrupp Uhde explains how it is produced and the role it could play in making aviation more climate-friendly.
What are sustainable aviation fuels?
Sustainable aviation fuels are fuels that are not based on fossil raw materials. They can be produced from biomass or using renewable energy, green hydrogen and captured CO₂. Green methanol can serve as a feedstock in this process. thyssenkrupp Uhde offers innovative plant engineering solutions for the production of green methanol.
Can green methanol replace kerosene?
Due to its low energy density, methanol cannot be used directly as aviation fuel. However, it can be converted into synthetic kerosene through additional processing steps.
Sustainable aviation fuels approved today are generally blended with conventional kerosene. thyssenkrupp Uhde aims to develop a sustainable aviation fuel that can be used in existing aircraft engines without blending. To achieve this, not only must the feedstocks be sustainable, but the conversion processes must also be efficient and generate low emissions.
How is green methanol produced?
Green methanol is produced from biogenic raw materials or from captured CO₂ and green hydrogen. The green hydrogen is produced through water electrolysis - a technology offered by thyssenkrupp nucera. The electricity required for this process must come from renewable energy sources. The hydrogen and CO₂ then react to form methanol, which can subsequently be processed into synthetic kerosene.
CO₂ is also released when this fuel is burned. Unlike fossil kerosene, however, this CO₂ was previously captured from the atmosphere or other sources. This creates a largely closed carbon cycle.
thyssenkrupp Uhde's engineering technologies lay the foundation for the production of sustainable aviation fuels.
What is the M2SAF research project?
In the publicly funded M2SAF project, thyssenkrupp Uhde is working with partners including BASF Process Catalysts, OMV Germany and the German Aerospace Center to develop processes for producing aviation fuel from green methanol.
The focus is on optimizing the individual process steps and integrating them into an economically viable overall process. In addition, thyssenkrupp Uhde is designing a pilot plant and analyzing the investment costs of a commercial production facility.
What is needed to scale up the market?
Making sustainable aviation fuel available in large quantities will require sufficient renewable electricity, green hydrogen and suitable sources of CO₂.
At the same time, the aviation, chemical and industrial sectors are competing for these resources. Regulatory quotas, funding programs and effective carbon pricing will therefore play a decisive role in determining which technologies prevail.
Although green methanol cannot directly replace fossil-based kerosene, it has the potential to make an important contribution to lower-CO₂ aviation as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuels.