Methanol as an energy source and/or energy carrier in membrane processes

Methanol is commonly considered a hydrogen source and/or hydrogen carrier. In fact, methanol can be produced by partial oxidation of biomass and in this case it is considered a source for hydrogen and therefore for energy. It can also be produced from carbon dioxide and hydrogen; in this case, it can be seen as a hydrogen carrier because it is easier to transport and store than hydrogen. This work gives an overview of methanol production and use both for hydrogen production and as a feed to fuel cells. Different processes for the production and reactions of methanol are reported, with particular regard to the membrane processes that produce methanol and simplify methanol reactions with respect to traditional systems.