Pulling water from air directly could help make green methanol in dry regions

Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich say direct air capture could collect both water vapor and CO2 from air to produce green methanol in dry regions.

Their techno-economic model suggests most studied arid areas could obtain sufficient atmospheric water, while renewable electricity supply has a larger impact on costs than humidity.

The approach could expand renewable-fuel production without drawing on local freshwater, but its atmospheric effects and large-scale competitiveness still need validation.