METHASOL: Turning Sunlight and CO₂ into Sustainable Methanol – Final results 

The European project METHASOL, which brought together 14 partners from Europe, China, and the USA over a period of 42 months, has come to a successful close with promising results. Its ambitious goal? To develop a sustainable method for producing methanol using only sunlight and CO₂.

Why Methanol?

Methanol is a liquid fuel that can be used directly or converted into gasoline or chemicals. It’s easy to store and transport. However, current production methods are far from sustainable. That’s where METHASOL comes in.

A Breakthrough in Solar-Driven CO₂ Conversion

METHASOL developed an innovative process to convert CO₂ gas into methanol, using materials that absorb sunlight to trigger chemical reactions — a process known as photocatalysis. The team combined advanced materials, such as Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-CN), into a “Z-scheme” system that mimics natural photosynthesis.

The project aimed to achieve a 5% solar-to-methanol conversion efficiency, a key milestone toward making this technology viable.

What Has Been Achieved?

Throughout the project:

– Several new photocatalyst materials were developed and tested for their ability to reduce CO₂ to fuels.

– A tailored reactor was built to optimize reaction conditions such as light intensity, gas composition, and pressure.

– After sunlight exposure, the system produced methanol, ethanol, ethylene, and other compounds — confirming the process works.

– A full sustainability assessment showed that this method can be cleaner than conventional methanol production, especially when catalysts are reused and produced via greener methods.

– A Strong International Collaboration
Beyond the scientific achievements, METHASOL strengthened EU-China cooperation in the field of artificial photosynthesis. Events such as joint consortium meetings and a summer school at Fuzhou University provided a platform for sharing knowledge and planning future collaborations.

– A public acceptance survey showed strong support for the project’s environmental benefits and energy potential, although concerns about costs and resource use remain.

What’s Next?

While the technology is still in early development, the project laid important groundwork. The project coordinator continues to engage in discussions with key stakeholders to explore future collaborations and scaling opportunities.

Thanks to METHASOL, a new, sustainable pathway is emerging to produce methanol — contributing to Europe’s goals for decarbonization and energy resilience.

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