Bioenergy Insight reports that Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) in Germany have developed a new method that could enable decentralised production of methanol directly from biomass under mild reaction conditions.

The process allows raw and waste plant materials such as pomace, grass cuttings, wood chips, and straw to be converted into methanol without the need for energy-intensive drying, shredding, or long-distance transportation to large gasification plants.

The research team, led by Dr Patrick Schühle from FAU’s Chair of Chemical Reaction Engineering, published their findings in the journal Green Chemistry.

Current biomass-based approaches to methanol production have relied on gasification at extreme temperatures and pressures, often requiring biomass to be pelletised before transport, driving up costs. Instead, the FAU research team incorporated an electrolyser into their design to generate the oxygen and hydrogen needed for the reaction, ideally powered by renewable energy such as photovoltaics or local wind farms.

FAU’s process can achieve carbon efficiencies of up to 80 per cent while enabling smaller-scale, decentralised plants. Economic modelling by the team suggests that green methanol could be produced at competitive cost compared to conventional fossil-based production, provided renewable energy is available at favourable prices.

Agrivoltaics, where farmland is used simultaneously for crop cultivation and electricity generation, is being explored as a complementary solution.

Dr Schühle said: “This process allows methanol to be produced in a more decentralised manner than was previously possible. “It could be worthwhile for large farms, forestry operations or agricultural cooperatives.”