Progress in biomethanol production technologies and industrialization

Green methanol, as a key carrier of sustainable energy and chemical feedstocks, demonstrates significant potential for achieving global carbon neutrality. Biomethanol, benefiting from the renewability of its feedstocks and low-cost advantages, is becoming a crucial low-carbon solution in the fields such as shipping and hydrogen storage and transportation. This review systematically summarizes the technological routes and industrialization progress for biomethanol production, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of various routes, key unit operations and technological challenges, while offering perspectives on future developments. The primary technological routes include biomass gasification synthesis, biogas reforming, bio-CO₂ hydrogenation, and pulp mill stripper off gas purification, among which the gasification route is the most representative due to its high maturity and scalability. Advances in gasification, tar removal, and methanol synthesis in the gasification route are highlighted, and the effect of wind-solar green hydrogen coupling on the carbon efficiency of biomethanol production is assessed. Additionally, the principles, technologies and the future potential of biogas direct conversion and dry distillation, which are still in experimental or pilot stages, are explored. The review provides a global overview of the biomethanol-based commercial projects, detailing process types, locations, capacities and development status in industrialization. Currently, there are over 80 biomethanol projects worldwide, primarily located in China, Europe and North America. These projects employ a variety of production techniques, with gasification being the dominant technology, alongside parallel development of biogas reforming, bio-CO₂ hydrogenation and stripper off gas utilization technologies. Overall, the biomethanol industry is transforming from demonstration to large-scale production, with future progress dependent on breakthroughs in catalysts, energy integration and supply chain optimization. Biomethanol will continue to play a vital role in the green fuel sector and energy transition with its renewable and carbon neutrality advantages.