Today: Production Cost of Electricity

1
Today Production Cost of Electricity
(in the U.S. in 1997, cents per kWh)
22
5.5
3.9
3.6
2.1
2.3
coal
nuclear
gas
oil
wind
solar
Nuclear Energy Institute, American Wind Energy
Association, American Solar Energy Society
2
Photons to Chemicals-Overall Process
Building blocks H2O and Photons
hn
H2
H2O
O2
3
Photons to Chemicals-Overall Process
Building blocks H2O and Photons
hn
electricity
photovoltaic
electrolysis
H2
H2O
O2
4
Photons to Chemicals-Overall Process
Building blocks H2O, CO2 and Photons
hn
CO2
CH3OH (l) can be substituted by CH4 (g)
electricity
photovoltaic
Methanol synthesis reactor
electrolysis
CH3OH
H2
H2O
O2
5
Photons to Chemicals-Overall Process
Building blocks H2O, CO2 and Photons
hn
CO2
CH3OH (l) can be substituted by CH4 (g)
electricity
photovoltaic
Methanol synthesis reactor
electrolysis
CH3OH
H2
H2O
Electrochemical Methanol production
O2
6
Presently Possible Methanol Generation
Electrochemical Cell-A Reverse Fuel Cell

-
CO2
O2
e-
e-
Catalyst-supported electrode
Proton exchange membrane
O2
e-
CO2
e-
H
Cathode
Anode
CH3OH H2O
H2O
2H2O?O2(g)4H4e-
CO26H6e-?CH3OHH2O
7
Proposed Novel Studies-First Step
CH3OH CH4
hn
8
(No Transcript)
9
Proposed Novel Studies-First Step
CH3OH CH4
hn
10
Research Needed

• Design synthetic enzymes that
• catalyze the reaction at the right potential
• increase turnover rates
• have stability
• Demonstrate in a real device
• Develop substantive collaborations between
  chemical biologists, inorganic chemists and
  materials chemists