Biomass to methanol process - Isis Project No 3680

A catalytic process to convert glycerol, the main by-product of biodiesel production, into methanol.  The new method is clean and operates at low temperature and pressure.  Methanol has application as a fuel and an industrial chemical. 

The Oxford Invention

The Oxford invention produces methanol as an exclusive product from glycerol in a catalytic process that is:

• Efficient
• Low temperature
• Low pressure
• Direct
• Clean 

The new process takes glycerol, a largely unwanted by-product, and converts it directly & cleanly to methanol, a highly useful industrial chemical and green fuel.

Today around 90% of methanol is produced from fossil fuel via the synthesis gas reaction.  Methanol is in demand as an industrial chemical and as a fuel for internal combustion engines and fuel cells.  For methanol to become a truly green fuel, an alternative production method that does not rely on fossil fuels is needed.  In nature, microorganisms produce methanol from biomass through fermentation, but the process is too slow for industrial scale production. 

Marketing Opportunity

Glycerol is the major byproduct in biodiesel and oleochemical production.  For every 9 kg of vegetable oil processed, 1 kg of glycerol is produced. Although glycerol is used in foods and personal care products, there is no large-scale industrial demand; indeed around 350,000 tonnes are incinerated in the US each year.  Conversion processes for glycerol have focused on reforming to synthesis gas, oxidation, dehydration, hydrogenolysis & polymerization.  Until now there has been no viable commercial process for glycerol’s direct conversion to methanol.  The Oxford invention offers an opportunity for companies in the biodiesel and oleochemicals sector to develop this catalytic process to extract a valuable product from a waste material.

Patent Status

This work is the subject of patent application, and Isis would like to talk to companies interested in its commercial development. Please contact the Isis Project Manager to discuss this further.

Request Further Information: Project Number 3680 Biomass to Methanol Process