Zero-energy penalty carbon capture and utilization system based on CLHG integrating SOFC for power and methanol cogeneration

Using captured CO2 as a feedstock for the synthesis of fuels and chemicals has received a great deal of attention as this initiative mitigates the impact of greenhouse gases and reduce the dependence on fossil energy sources. Therefore, a hybrid system consisting of chemical looping hydrogen generation, solid oxide fuel cell and methanol synthesis unit was proposed. This unit is capable of co-producing electricity and methanol without CO2 emissions. A thermodynamic model of the system was developed to demonstrate this novel concept. In this context, the system performance was compared for different CO2 utilization scenarios. According to the thermodynamic analysis, it was found that the proposed system achieved an energy efficiency of 70.94% under the expected optimal conditions. In addition, a CO2 capture rate of 98.54% was obtained in this process compared to conventional single-product systems, offering significant carbon reduction potential. Finally, the economic feasibility of the system was verified by the economic analysis, which showed the levelized cost of electricity of 5.53 cent/kWh. At the same time, the sensitivity analysis was applied to identify the key parameters affecting the economics. This concept highlights the potential utilization of traditional fossil energy sources and provides a theoretical foundation and innovative ideas for constructing multi-generation systems supplied by natural gas.