Energies 2023 , 16 , 280
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Figure7. ( a ) Countries by the count of existing renewable methanol projects; ( b ) projected renewable methanol production capacity by start-up year. Based on data from Ref. [46].
Figure8. Production capacity of fossil and renewable methanol by 2050. Based on data from Ref. [47].
Renewable methanol cannot only be a fuel for transport applications [48,49] and feedstock in the chemical industry but it can decisively promote the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industrial sectors. Additionally, a local and CO 2 -neutral closed-loop system is created for the integration of renewable methanol production into existing industrial facilities such as CHP plants or cement and steel production plants. As more countries seek to ban or limit internal combustion engines (ICE) in line with the 1.5 °C goal, e-methanol could help cut down the emissions during the transition to electric mobility options, vehicle operations for instance. Since it is possible to blend methanol with gasoline and use it in ICEs, renewable methanol provides a carbon-neutral transport alternative. China for instance already piloted M85 and M100 methanol vehicles in 2012, and by 2025, the fleet of M100 vehicles in China could reach 50,000 consuming more than 500,000 tonnes of methanol [50]. The use of direct methanol fuel cells also provides the possibility of running 100% methanol in any type of electric vehicle. Renewable methanol is likely
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