Making Low-Carbon Fuels Sustainable: Biohydrogen and Biomethanol Production via Hydrothermal Gasification

In collaboration with PuriFire Labs, this project aims to combine experimental and process simulation approaches to develop an innovative biomethanol synthesis route based on PuriFire Labs' hydrothermal gasification process. Methanol is the feedstock for many industries, which is mainly produced from fossil fuel sources, thus, is associated with a high carbon footprint. Accordingly, there is an urge to find sustainable and clean alternatives for the production of methanol. The proposed approach in this project is innovative and offers the production of biogenic methanol, which has a significantly lower carbon footprint and can particularly be used for the production of sustainable marine and aviation fuels. PuriFire Labs' hydrothermal gasification enables the production of syngas, required for methanol production, from wet feedstock, therefore eliminating the need for drying feedstock, which is a significant challenge in conventional syngas production routes.