Production Of Synthetic Fuels Research Articles

Industrial and infrastructural conditions for production and export of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels in the MENA region: insights from Jordan, Morocco, and Oman

AbstractGreen hydrogen and synthetic fuels are increasingly recognized as a key strategic element for the progress of the global energy transition. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with its large wind and solar potential, is well positioned to generate renewable energy at low cost for the production of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels, and is therefore considered as a potential future producer and exporter. Yet, while solar and wind energy potentials are essential, other factors are expected to play an equally important role for the development of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels (export) sectors. This includes, in particular, adequate industrial capacities and infrastructures. These preconditions vary from country to country, and while they have been often mentioned in the discussion on green hydrogen exports, they have only been examined to a limited extent. This paper employs a case study approach to assess the existing infrastructural and industrial conditions in Jordan, Morocco, and Oman for the development of a green hydrogen and downstream synthetic fuel (export) sector.

A comparative co-simulation analysis to improve the sustainability of cogeneration-based district multi-energy systems using photovoltaics, power-to-heat, and heat storage

For an extensive decarbonization of district multi-energy systems, efforts are needed that go beyond today’s cogeneration of heat and power in district multi-energy systems. The multitude of existing technical possibilities are confronted with a large variety of existing multi-energy system configurations. The variety impedes the development of universal decarbonization pathways. In order to tackle the decarbonization challenge in existing and distinct districts, this paper calculates a wide range of urban district configurations in an extensive co-simulation based on domain specific submodels. A district multi-energy system comprising a district heating network, a power grid, and cogeneration is simulated for two locations in Germany with locally captured weather data, and for a whole year with variable parameters to configure a power-to-heat operation, building insolation/refurbishment, rooftop photovoltaic orientation, future energy demand scenarios, and district sizes with a temporal resolution of 60 s, in total 3840 variants. The interdependencies and synergies between the electrical low-voltage distribution grid and the district heating network are analysed in terms of efficiency and compliance with network restrictions. Thus, important sector-specific simulations of the heat and the electricity sector are combined in a holistic district multi-energy system co-simulation. The clearly most important impact on emission reduction and fuel consumption is a low heat demand, which can be achieved through thermal refurbishment of buildings. Up to 46% reduction in CO2 emissions are possible using the surplus electricity from photovoltaics for power-to-heat in combination with central heat storage in the district’s combined heat and power plant. Domestic hot water heated by district heating network in combination with power-to-heat conversion distributed in the district reduces the load on the distribution power grid. Even though the investigated measures already improve the sustainability significantly, providing the energy needed for the production of synthetic fuels remains the crucial challenge on the further path towards net-zero.

Efficiency Enhancement of the Single Line Multi-Stage Gasification of Hungarian Low-Rank Coal: Effects of Gasification Temperature and Steam/Carbon (S/C) Ratio

Coal gasification is considered a promising solution for the production of synthetic fuels and eventually as a fuel for combined heat and power systems and heating buildings. There are several factors that affect the gasification efficiency and syngas quality, such as gasification parameters (temperature, pressure, etc.), reactants and their ratio, utilisation of catalysts, and gasifier design. The multi-stage gasifier is known as a promising approach in the enhancement of process efficiency, as well as the syngas quality. In this study, the Hungarian brown coal was gasified in a two-stage gasifier. The pyrolysis stage was kept at 600 °C. The gasification stage was conducted at 700, 800, and 900 °C. The steam per carbon (S/C) ratio was examined at 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25. The positive effects of increasing gasification temperature on char and dry gas yield were obviously shown at all S/C ratios. The increase in the S/C ratio did not show a positive effect at all temperature conditions, especially at 700 and 900 °C. The highest dry syngas yield was 1.14 Nm3/kgcoal obtained at 900 °C and the S/C ratio of 1.25. The increase in the gasification temperature also had a significant impact on the volume fraction of CO and CO2. Meanwhile, the syngas concentration varied slightly when the S/C ratio increased from 0.75 to 1.25. From a chemical utilization point of view, the gasification temperature at 900 °C and the S/C ratio of 1.25 resulted in the most promising H2/CO ratio of 1.99. In addition, the highest carbon conversion and cold gas efficiency were achieved at 900 °C and an S/C ratio of 1.00–1.25, respectively.

Turning CO2 from fuel combustion into e-Fuel? Consider alternative pathways

Carbon capture and utilisation technologies for the separation and conversion of CO2 into chemical products via electrochemical processes (i.e., so called electro-fuels/e-Fuels, or electro-chemicals/e-Chemicals) are envisaged to be an option in the forthcoming decarbonisation of energy and industry, but their effectiveness in terms of carbon emissions avoidance is debated. This work challenges the exploitation of CO2 from fuel combustion for the synthesis of e-Fuels, as opposed to alternative pathways. The investigated conversion routes refer to a case study for the abatement of CO2 emissions from a refinery fuel gas via production of synthetic fuels based on: (i) hydrogenation of CO2 with green H2 (i.e., e-Fuel); or (ii) electrified heating and electrified reforming of the fuel gas. For both options, two products are compared: methanol and Fischer–Tropsch syncrude. The study shows that avoiding CO2 emissions by turning CO2 from fuel combustion into an e-Fuel results in higher electricity demand, higher capital costs, and higher fuel costs than the electrification of heat supply and the direct conversion of the original fuel into a higher value synthetic fuel via electrified reforming.

Thermochemical Activity of Single- and Dual-Phase Oxide Compounds Based on Ceria, Ferrites, and Perovskites for Two-Step Synthetic Fuel Production.

This study focuses on the generation of solar thermochemical fuel (hydrogen, syngas) from CO2 and H2O molecules via two-step thermochemical cycles involving intermediate oxygen-carrier redox materials. Different classes of redox-active compounds based on ferrite, fluorite, and perovskite oxide structures are investigated, including their synthesis and characterization associated with experimental performance assessment in two-step redox cycles. Their redox activity is investigated by focusing on their ability to perform the splitting of CO2 during thermochemical cycles while quantifying fuel yields, production rates, and performance stability. The shaping of materials as reticulated foam structures is then evaluated to highlight the effect of morphology on reactivity. A series of single-phase materials including spinel ferrite, fluorite, and perovskite formulations are first investigated and compared to state-of-the-art materials. NiFe2O4 foam exhibits a CO2-splitting activity similar to its powder analog after reduction at 1400 °C, surpassing the performance of ceria but with much slower oxidation kinetics. On the other hand, although identified as high-performing materials in other studies, Ce0.9Fe0.1O2, Ca0.5Ce0.5MnO3, Ce0.2Sr1.8MnO4, and Sm0.6Ca0.4Mn0.8Al0.2O3 are not found to be attractive candidates in this work (compared with La0.5Sr0.5Mn0.9Mg0.1O3). In the second part, characterizations and performance evaluation of dual-phase materials (ceria/ferrite and ceria/perovskite composites) are performed and compared to single-phase materials to assess a potential synergistic effect on fuel production. The ceria/ferrite composite does not provide any enhanced redox activity. In contrast, ceria/perovskite dual-phase compounds in the form of powders and foams are found to enhance the CO2-splitting performance compared to ceria.

Nitrogen-doped carbon confined Cu-Ag bimetals for efficient electroreduction of CO2 to high-order products

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 is a promising approach for storing the green electricity from intermittent solar and wind energy into chemical fuels. The direct production of energy-dense renewable synthetic fuels that is highly compatible with the existing transportation infrastructures is particularly important yet extraordinarily challenging. In this work, bimetallic Cu-Ag catalysts confined in a nitrogen-doped carbon octahedral shell are developed by a facile MOF-mediated synthesis for this grand objective. By correlative microscopic characterizations, theoretical and systematic experiments investigations, it is discovered that the bimetallic Cu-Ag nanoparticles work in synergy with the nitrogen-doped porous carbon octahedral shell for efficient electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) towards high-order products. Owing to the geometric and electronic benefits, the as-designed electrocatalyst is favorable for C-C coupling through an interesting *CHO–*CO pathway with significantly lower energy barrier and enhanced mass transport of reactants and intermediates, thus leading to high activity and selectivity towards energy-dense products. The total faradaic efficiency of high-order products i.e., CH4, C2H4, C2H5OH and CH3COOH reaches 55.3% with a high current density of 5.3 mA/cm2 at a relatively low overpotential of −1.2 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), exceeding the most common primary products e.g., H2, CO and HCOOH. This study presents that the rational assembly of Cu-derived bimetallic catalysts with confined nitrogen-doped carbon architecture to produce high-order products from electrocatalytic CO2 reduction.

Co-Electrolysis Performance and Process Analyses for Synthetic Liquid Fuel Production

Synthetic liquid production with solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) are expected to enhance a system efficiency via the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) by 20% compared to conventional water electrolysis. Co-electrolysis performances were obtained using solid oxide cells, which were a single cell, a 6-cell-stack, and a 25-cell-stack optimized for fuel cell operation. Low partial pressure of the reactant H2O/CO2 resulted in larger concentration overvoltages. Gas composition and flowrate of the produced syngas with the 25-cell-stack agreed by 0.5% or less to calculated values in thermodynamic equilibrium at 800 ºC and 80% reactant utilization, leading to 99.8% current efficiency. Process simulations for an SOEC-FTS combined system clarified that fuel-electrode offgas recycle at 800 ºC will enhance a power-to-oil system efficiency by 8 percentage points. Flat profile of co-electrolysis and oil production efficiencies at 0.2-0.7 A/cm2 were observed. SOEC operative voltages should be optimized to avoid large temperature gradient in the stack.

The Role of Direct Air Capture in EU’s Decarbonisation and Associated Carbon Intensity for Synthetic Fuels Production

Direct air capture (DAC) is considered one of the mitigation strategies in most of the future scenarios trying to limit global temperature to 1.5 °C. Given the high expectations placed on DAC for future decarbonisation, this study presents an extensive review of DAC technologies, exploring a number of techno-economic aspects, including an updated collection of the current and planned DAC projects around the world. A dedicated analysis focused on the production of synthetic methane, methanol, and diesel from DAC and electrolytic hydrogen in the European Union (EU) is also performed, where the carbon footprint is analysed for different scenarios and energy sources. The results show that the maximum grid carbon intensity to obtain negative emissions with DAC is estimated at 468 gCO2e/kWh, which is compliant with most of the EU countries’ current grid mix. Using only photovoltaics (PV) and wind, negative emissions of at least −0.81 tCO2e/tCO2 captured can be achieved. The maximum grid intensities allowing a reduction of the synthetic fuels carbon footprint compared with their fossil-fuels counterparts range between 96 and 151 gCO2e/kWh. However, to comply with the Renewable Energy Directive II (REDII) sustainability criteria to produce renewable fuels of non-biological origin, the maximum stays between 30.2 to 38.8 gCO2e/kWh. Only when using PV and wind is the EU average able to comply with the REDII threshold for all scenarios and fuels, with fuel emissions ranging from 19.3 to 25.8 gCO2e/MJ. These results highlight the importance of using renewable energies for the production of synthetic fuels compliant with the EU regulations that can help reduce emissions from difficult-to-decarbonise sectors.

Kilowatt-scale solar hydrogen production system using a concentrated integrated photoelectrochemical device

The production of synthetic fuels and chemicals from solar energy and abundant reagents offers a promising pathway to a sustainable fuel economy and chemical industry. For the production of hydrogen, photoelectrochemical or integrated photovoltaic and electrolysis devices have demonstrated outstanding performance at the lab scale, but there remains a lack of larger-scale on-sun demonstrations (>100 W). Here we present the successful scaling of a thermally integrated photoelectrochemical device—utilizing concentrated solar irradiation—to a kW-scale pilot plant capable of co-generation of hydrogen and heat. A solar-to-hydrogen device-level efficiency of greater than 20% at an H2 production rate of >2.0 kW (>0.8 g min−1) is achieved. A validated model-based optimization highlights the dominant energetic losses and predicts straightforward strategies to improve the system-level efficiency of >5.5% towards the device-level efficiency. We identify solutions to the key technological challenges, control and operation strategies and discuss the future outlook of this emerging technology.

Decarbonizing the Energy System of Non-Interconnected Islands: The Case of Mayotte

Islands face unique challenges on their journey towards achieving carbon neutrality by the mid-century, due to the lack of energy interconnections, limited domestic energy resources, extensive fossil fuel dependence, and high load variance requiring new technologies to balance demand and supply. At the same time, these challenges can be turned into a great opportunity for economic growth and the creation of jobs with non-interconnected islands having the potential to become transition frontrunners by adopting sustainable technologies and implementing innovative solutions. This paper uses an advanced energy–economy system modeling tool (IntE3-ISL) accompanied by plausible decarbonization scenarios to assess the medium- and long-term impacts of energy transition on the energy system, emissions, economy, and society of the island of Mayotte. The model-based analysis adequately captures the specificities of Mayotte and examines the complexity, challenges, and opportunities to decarbonize the island’s non-interconnected energy system. The energy transition necessitates the adoption of ambitious climate policy measures and the extensive deployment of low- and zero-carbon technologies both in the demand and supply sides of the energy system, accounting for the unique characteristics of each individual sector, while sectoral integration is also important. To reduce emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, such as transportation and industry, the measures and technologies can include the installation and use of highly efficient equipment, the electrification of end uses (such as the widespread adoption of electric vehicles), the large roll-out of renewable energy sources, as well as the production and use of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels.

Challenges and opportunities of process intensification for the conversion of waste CO[formula omitted] to liquid fuels

Electrochemical conversion of waste CO2 has emerged as a solution to integrate carbon capture with the production of high-value chemicals or synthetic fuels, reducing the dependence on fossil fuels while tackling the issue of intermittent availability of electricity from renewables. The main limitations of CO2 conversion are that its electro-reduction to C2+ products is difficult to control and characterized by low selectivies. On the contrary, processes for CO electro-reduction to C2+ products, characterized by high selectivities and reaction rates, have been demonstrated. The interesting opportunity is therefore emerging of developing multi-step processes in which CO2 is converted to value-added C2+ products using CO as intermediate. If the CO2 and subsequent CO electro-reduction processes could be carried out in the same location, issues related to transport and storage of CO could be overcome. In addition, the process could allow flexible production of both CO and C2+ products, depending on consumer demand. This Perspective presents an overview of CO2 capture and its subsequent two-step electro-reduction to C2+ products, with a focus on electrochemical methods and process integration, to increase the environmental and economic benefits of CO2 utilization. Integrating waste CO2 management and energy conversion, while reducing the problem of transport and storage of energy or dangerous compounds is a prime example of process intensification applied to CO2 emissions reduction.

Перспективна сировинна база процесів виробництва синтетичного рідкого палива з українського вугілля

The article considers the issue of raw materials for the production of synthetic liquid fuels from coal, which is relevant for Ukraine, which has relatively small oil deposits, but fossil coal reserves reach 50 billion tones. It is shown that the coal raw material base for industrial production of synthetic motor fuel in Ukraine should be based on low-metamorphosed coal of B, D, DG and G grades, which prevails in existing geological deposits and is characterized by proper reactivity due to the high oxygen content in the organic mass and the presence of reactive oxygen-containing groups: hydroxyl –OH, carbonyl =C=O and carboxyl –SOC. Due to the systemic crisis in Ukrainian coal industry, there are currently no free resources of raw materials to support new production. This necessitates the restoration or creation of new coal production facilities in the main industrial regions of Ukraine. To create them in eastern Ukraine, it is advisable to base the raw material base of the process on long-burning coal from the Lozova district of western Donbas. To ensure the raw material base for production in the regions of the Centre, it is necessary to restore the coal mining enterprises of the Dnipro lignite basin, primarily the Kostiantynivskyi mine, on a new technical basis. The raw material base for industrial production of synthetic motor fuels from coal in the Western region can be secured by completing the development of the design industrial capacity of Novovolynsk mine No. 9 or by developing the coal of the Tyaglivske deposit. The final choice of the option should be made based on the results of additional feasibility studies. Keywords: low-metamorphosed coal, synthetic motor fuel, Lozova coal-bearing area of Western Donbas, Dnipro lignite basin, Tyahlivske deposit. Corresponding author V.V. Shulga, e-mail: ko@ukhin.org.ua

Enhancing the performance of Cu catalysts for the reverse water–gas shift reaction using N-doped CNT–ZnO composite as support

The reverse water–gas shift reaction (RWGS) allows the conversion of CO2 to CO which, mixed with H2, forms syngas, the feedstock of most chemicals and synthetic fuels production.

A Study of the GTL Process in Adiabatic Mode

Versions of the production of environmentally friendly components of motor fuels using the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) are considered. The advantages and disadvantages of the used radial reactors are analyzed. Research on the development of a domestic technology for the production of synthetic liquid fuels from natural gas on a bench-scale process plant, which was used to solve the problems of hydrogen utilization, is described. Based on the results of this work, conclusions that allow the development of a promising scientific and practical direction were drawn.

Overview of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies to ensure low-carbon development of energy systems

Carbon dioxide CO2 is a component of air that is responsible for the growing global warning and greenhouse gases emissions. The energy sector is one of the main sources of CO2 emissions in the world and especially in Ukraine. Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is a group of technologies that play a significant role along with renewable energy sources, bioenergy and hydrogen to reduce CO2 emissions and to achieve international climate goals. Nowadays there are thirty-five commercial CCUS facilities under operation around the world with a CO2 capture capacity up to 45 million tons annually. Tougher climate targets and increased investment provide new incentives for CCUS technologies to be applied more widely. CCUS are applications in which CO2 is captured from anthropogenic sources (power generation and industrial processes) and stored in deep geological formations without entering atmosphere or used in various products using technologies without chemical modification or with conversion. The article discusses the use of various technologies of CO2 capture (post-combustion capture, pre-combustion capture and oxy-combustion capture), CO2 separation methods and their application in the global energy transition to reduce the carbon capacity of energy systems. Technical and economic indicators of CO2 capture at different efficiencies for coal and gas power plants are given. Technologies of transportation and storage of captured carbon dioxide and their economic indicators are considered. The directions for the alternative uses of captured CO2, among which the main ones are the production of synthetic fuels, various chemicals and building materials, are also presented and described in the paper. The possibility of utilization captured СО2 in the production of synthetic fuel in combination with Power-to-Gas technologies was studied. Keywords: greenhouse gases emissions, fossil fuels, СО2 capture technologies, capture efficiency, synthetic fuel

Enzymatic Fischer-Tropsch-Type Reactions.

The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process converts a mixture of CO and H2 into liquid hydrocarbons as a major component of the gas-to-liquid technology for the production of synthetic fuels. Contrary to the energy-demanding chemical FT process, the enzymatic FT-type reactions catalyzed by nitrogenase enzymes, their metalloclusters, and synthetic mimics utilize H+ and e- as the reducing equivalents to reduce CO, CO2, and CN- into hydrocarbons under ambient conditions. The C1 chemistry exemplified by these FT-type reactions is underscored by the structural and electronic properties of the nitrogenase-associated metallocenters, and recent studies have pointed to the potential relevance of this reactivity to nitrogenase mechanism, prebiotic chemistry, and biotechnological applications. This review will provide an overview of the features of nitrogenase enzymes and associated metalloclusters, followed by a detailed discussion of the activities of various nitrogenase-derived FT systems and plausible mechanisms of the enzymatic FT reactions, highlighting the versatility of this unique reactivity while providing perspectives onto its mechanistic, evolutionary, and biotechnological implications.

Assessing the operational environment of a P2X plant from a climate point of view

Production of synthetic fuels is important for a faster reduction of transport emissions. Power-to-gasoline technology can utilize CO2 captured from industrial processes as well as hydrogen to produce synthetic gasoline as a substitute fossil-derived fuel. However, greenhouse gas emission reductions, in this case, cannot be taken for granted. This study analyzes changes in greenhouse gas emissions caused by the integration of a power-to-gasoline plant into an existing operational environment in Lappeenranta, Finland. The operational environment consists of a cement plant, which is the CO2 source, a chlor-alkali plant producing excess hydrogen, and a gasoline plant. Cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions of a system with a power-to-gasoline plant were compared to a baseline system with a conventional oil refinery using life cycle assessment methodology. Two cases of power-to-gasoline plants, one utilizing excess hydrogen and another with an electrolyzer, and four scenarios with different energy sources were compared to analyze the influence of hydrogen and energy sources on the system's greenhouse gas emissions. The results show that depending on energy sources, the use of excess hydrogen leads to a 22–40 kt CO2-eq (44%–77%) emission reduction compared to the baseline (51.5 kt CO2-eq). In the case of hydrogen production by water electrolysis, the use of renewable electricity for the electrolyzer leads to a 27 kt CO2-eq (53%) emission reduction compared to the baseline. The use of renewable heat increases the emissions reduction in this case to 37 kt CO2-eq (72%). In such scenarios, hydrogen production from water electrolysis can be more beneficial for the emissions reduction compared to the excess hydrogen utilization if the by-product oxygen from electrolysis substitutes oxygen obtained from air separation and the need for CO2 transportation is eliminated by building the plant close to the CO2 source.

Development of Electrode-Supported Proton Conducting Solid Oxide Cells and their Evaluation as Electrochemical Hydrogen Pumps

Protonic ceramic solid oxide cells (P-SOCs) have gained widespread attention due to their potential for operation in the temperature range of 300–500 °C, which is not only beneficial in terms of material stability but also offers unique possibilities from a thermodynamic point of view to realize a series of reactions. For instance, they are ideal for the production of synthetic fuels by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, upgradation of hydrocarbons, or dehydrogenation reactions. However, the development of P-SOC is quite challenging because it requires a multifront optimization in terms of material synthesis and fabrication procedures. Herein, we report in detail a method to overcome various fabrication challenges for the development of efficient and robust electrode-supported P-SOCs (Ni-BCZY/BCZY/Ni-BCZY) based on a BaCe0.2Zr0.7Y0.1O3−δ (BCZY271) electrolyte. We examined the effect of pore formers on the porosity of the Ni-BCZY support electrode, various electrolyte deposition techniques (spray, spin, and vacuum-assisted), and thermal treatments for developing robust and flat half-cells. Half-cells containing a thin (10–12 μm) pinhole-free electrolyte layer were completed by a screen-printed Ni-BCZY electrode and evaluated as an electrochemical hydrogen pump to access the functionality. The P-SOCs are found to show a current density ranging from 150 to 525 mA cm–2 at 1 V over an operating temperature range of 350–450 °C. The faradaic efficiency of the P-SOCs as well as their stability were also evaluated.

The German Cement Industry as a CO2 Source for Other Industries

Cement production is responsible for about eight percent of global CO2 emissions. A potential use for CO2 is the production of synthetic fuels through power-to-X (PtX) processes. For this purpose, a potential analysis is performed in which the possibilities for CO2 avoidance and CO2 capture and utilization (CCU) in the cement manufacturing process are evaluated. Based on the potential analysis, three scenarios for the development of the German cement industry until 2050 are developed and displayed in geo-referenced form, yielding potential locations for PtX plants. Results show that it is unlikely that cement can be fully replaced by alternative construction methods or new types of binders from today’s perspective. Measures to reduce CO2 emissions in cement production are limited, especially due to the restricted possibilities to replace limestone as feedstock. In an intermediate scenario, CO2 emissions in cement production decrease by 35% until 2050 compared to the average value from the 2014–2018 reference period. For CCU to be introduced at cement plants, the additional costs must be compensated, either through revenues from CO2 certificates or economic and regulatory incentives.

Use of underground coal gasification gas for co-production of electric power and synthetic liquid fuel

The study is relevant due to increased interest to the underground coal gasification technologies (UCG). The interest is determined by the depletion of world oil and gas reserves, the significant amount of coal deposits in various countries of the world, the growing energy demand, as well as the threat of global climate change. The possibility to use technologies of underground gasification of low-grade coal with complex geological environment is huge. Recently, interest to UCG has grown dramatically. In contrast to all major programs of the 20th century, this unprecedented interest is mainly stimulated by private capital in response to high oil and energy prices. Thus, the studies of UCG are carried out. And more than 30 tests are planned in Australia, China, India, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. The development of competitive gas-based technologies of production of electricity and synthetic liquid fuels is a high-priority task. The studies have been carried out using a mathematical model of the unit for the production of electricity and methanol. To design a mathematical model, a software, or the system of machine programs development (SMPP) has been used. It has been developed at Melentiev Energy Systems Institute of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ESI SB RAS). The article presents the results of the study of the use of UCG for the coproduction of synthetic liquid fuel (methanol) and electricity. A detailed mathematical model of electricity and methanol production unit has been developed. Based on the model, technical and economic optimization of the schemes and parameters has been carried out. It made possible to estimate the competitiveness conditions of the proposed method of coal processing. In addition, the sensitivity of the economic indicators of the unit to changes in external conditions has been studied. Based on the results of the analysis of the cost of diesel fuel in the eastern regions of Russia, the authors have made the conclusion that at present methanol produced by the energy technological unit is as competitive as delivered expensive diesel fuel. The introduction of such systems is economically reasonable in the near future.