Chapter 19 : Prospects for Methanol Production

Abstract:

This chapter discusses the potential of methanol as an alternative fuel along with the prospects for its production using biomimetic pathways for efficient conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol based on single-carbon biotransformations. It focuses on methanol production through biocatalysis and is organized in three parts. First, the effects of fuel sources and their influence on the global carbon cycle and atmospheric accumulations of CO2 are discussed. Second, the potential utility of methanol as an alternative fuel and the scope of different methods for its commercial production are outlined. Finally, the use of biological systems in efficient conversion processes leading to methanol is elucidated with specific emphasis on dehydrogenase-catalyzed synthesis of methanol from carbon dioxide. The stabilization of enzymes in sol-gel materials provides a strategy for efficient utilization of enzymes in conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol. Immobilization of these enzymes confers additional thermal and environmental stability to the enzyme structure due to elimination or minimization of protein unfolding pathways. The moles of methanol produced are plotted as a function of the moles of the terminal electron donor (NADH). The enhancement of methanol production in sol-gel was due to confinement and matrix effects. The overall yield of the reaction for methanol production through this pathway depended on several factors. The sequential enzymatic conversion pathway to methanol production from CO2 provides several significant advantages. In the long range, with appropriate resource allocations, enzymatic biomethanol production pathways offer appealing prospects for practical development of new self-sustainable technologies.