Renewable induction-heated methane pyrolysis for carbon-negative hydrogen production: An integrated environmental-economic assessment

초록

Methane pyrolysis has emerged as a low-carbon hydrogen route, but decision-relevant benchmarks against incumbent alternatives remain limited. This study benchmarks induction-heated catalytic methane pyrolysis (CMP) powered by renewable electricity against steam methane reforming with carbon capture (SMR + CC). Four cases were consistently evaluated under fossil-based and biogenic methane scenarios using an integrated environmental techno-economic assessment framework. Biogenic CMP achieved a net-negative global warming potential (GWP) of-1.7 ton CO2 eq./ton-H2 but a higher eMSP of 3625 USD/ton-H2, whereas fossil-based SMR + CC showed a lower eMSP of 2350 USD/ton-H2 at a much higher GWP of 4.4 ton CO2 eq./ton-H2. The eMSP under CMP is driven by feed gas price, electricity cost, and realizable solid carbon value, whereas GWP is governed by electricity carbon intensity and upstream CH4 emissions. This study provides quantitative guidance for identifying favorable deployment settings and prioritizing key levers for CMP as a viable low-carbon H2 production pathway.

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