Industrial and Energy value of CO2 through Efficient use of CO2 free electricity Electricity Network System Control & Electricity Storage – VITESSE2

The project VItESSE², as a whole, aims to develop a process to convert CO2 emitted by industries such as cement industry, steel mills, incinerators, etc., into methanol (MeOH) by reduction with hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water using electricity from low CO2 production means such as renewable energy (wind, solar, hydro) and nuclear energy.

Beyond the recovery of CO2, this process does not only store low CO2 electricity produced relatively cheaply as a chemical intermediate (methanol is a chemical intermediate in easily recoverable fuel, chemicals, in polymers, etc.) but also ensure, through the flexibility of the electrolytic hydrogen production, electric system management and stabilization functions. Indeed, the production of electrolytic hydrogen would be correlated with the availability of electricity on the electricity system and it would reach its maximum capacity during off-peak hours and would be reduced to a minimum during peak hours.

The project VItESSE² will therefore develop a breakthrough process, though complementary with the current processes of methanol production (units whose capacity exceeds several hundred thousand tons per year, operating at full capacity the maximum hours per year). The project is based on a concept of CO2 into MeOH conversion units, with lower production capacity, decentralized and distributed on the territory close to emitting industries, modular, flexible and subservient to the availability of electricity on the electrical system. These CO2 into methanol conversion units will be able to adjust their level of production variability in quality and quantity of their inflows.
The project VItESSE² will proceed in three stages, each focusing on flexibility and transient operation to identify its limitations:

• Step 1: R&D project (the subject of this request for financial support)
Study and development of a diluted and containing impurities CO2 in methanol conversion breakthrough flexible process, at laboratory scale.
Development of new catalysts constraints resistant (transient and impurities) and new configurations of reactors (process intensification and optimization based on fluctuating inflows constraints).

• Step 2: R & D demonstration project
Demonstration of the concept of CO2 into methanol conversion assisted by electrolytic hydrogen (from low CO2 electricity) on a pilot demonstration unit combining a nominal production capacity of 20 Nm3/h electrolyzer pilot to a conversion of methanol reactor.

• Step 3 : significant scale Demonstration project
Design, construction and operation of a semi-industrial scale CO2 in MeOH conversion unit, coupled with a CO2 industrial flow.
The project VItESSE² helps to reduce energy and local "carbon" dependence. It does not only federate partners to create a new industrial sector but also create value in existing strategic industry clusters.