Efficient Natural Gas-to-Methanol Conversion

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Program:
OPEN 2012
Award:
$1,640,390
Location:
Des Plaines, Illinois
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
01/01/2013 - 09/30/2015

Technology Description:

Gas Technology Institute (GTI) is developing a new process to convert natural gas or methane-containing gas into methanol and hydrogen for liquid fuel. Methanol serves as the main feedstock for dimethyl ether, which could be used for vehicular fuel. Unfortunately, current methods to produce liquid fuels from natural gas require large and expensive facilities that use significant amounts of energy. GTI’s process uses metal oxide catalysts that are continuously regenerated in a reactor, similar to a battery, to convert the methane into methanol. These metal oxide catalysts reduce the energy required during the conversion process. This process operates at room temperature, is more energy efficient, and less capital-intensive than existing methods.

Potential Impact:

If successful, GTI’s low-temperature methane-to-methanol process would reduce the price of methanol from $2.80 to $0.24 per gallon.

Security:

Increasing the utility of geographically isolated natural gas reserves would decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil—the transportation sector is the dominant source of this dependence.

Environment:

Trillions of cubic feet of natural gas are burned off, or “flared,” during petroleum exploration and refinery. Other methane containing resources, such as landfill gas, are not all collected and used. Reactors that capture and convert methane into liquid fuel would result in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the petroleum industry and other methane emission sources.

Economy:

Widespread use of natural gas as transportation fuel would decrease our foreign oil imports, allowing us to keep more dollars at home.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Eric Rohlfing
Project Contact:
Dr. Chinbay Q. Fan
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
chinbay.fan@gastechnology.org

Partners

University of Connecticut

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Release Date:
03/02/2012