FACILITY AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A GLOBALLY USABLE ENERGY CARRIER

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a plant for the production of a globally usable energy carrier having a photovoltaic unit for converting solar energy into electricity, a water supply unit for the production of desalinated sea water, an electrolysis unit for the production of hydrogen connected by pipeline to the water supply unit for the supply of desalinated water, a carbon dioxide absorption unit for absorbing carbon dioxide from the ambient air, a methanol synthesis unit (34) for producing methanol connected by a pipeline to the electrolysis unit for supplying hydrogen and by a pipeline to the carbon dioxide absorption unit for supplying carbon dioxide, wherein the water supply unit unit, the electrolysis unit, the carbon dioxide absorption unit and the methanol synthesis unit each are connected to the photovoltaic unit for the supply of power and are arranged in a contiguous plant area.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A production plant for a globally usable energy carrier comprising: a photovoltaic unit for converting solar energy into electricity and having a capacity of at least 1.0 gigawatt; a water supply unit having a seawater desalination unit for production of desalinated water having an intake capacity of at least 900,000 tons of seawater per year; an electrolysis unit for the production of hydrogen connected by at least one pipeline to the desalinated water of the water supply unit; a carbon dioxide absorption unit for absorbing carbon dioxide from ambient air and having an extraction capacity of at least 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year; and a methanol synthesis unit for producing methanol connected by a first pipeline to the electrolysis unit for supplying hydrogen and connected by a second pipeline to the carbon dioxide absorption unit for supplying carbon dioxide, wherein the methanol synthesis unit and the carbon dioxide absorption unit are connected for transferring heat generated during methanol synthesis, wherein the water supply unit, the electrolysis unit, the carbon dioxide absorption unit and the methanol synthesis unit each are connected to the photovoltaic unit for supplying electrical power and are further configured and arranged in a contiguous plant area aboard the energy carrier, wherein the photovoltaic unit is configured and adapted to capture at least 1500 kWh/m.sup.2a of solar energy, and wherein the methanol synthesis unit has an output capacity of at least 300,000 tons of regeneratively produced methanol per year.

22. The production plant according to claim 21, wherein the photovoltaic unit has an effective photovoltaic module area for capturing solar radiation of at least 5 km.sup.2.

23. The production plant according to claim 22, wherein the photovoltaic unit further comprises two-sided photovoltaic modules configured and arranged on an incline so as to be irradiated directly by sunlight from above and irradiated indirectly by sunlight reflected from below.

24. The production plant according to claim 23 wherein the carbon dioxide absorption unit further comprises at least one chimney and at least one flow channel which extends transversely to the chimney and is connected to the chimney at a region arranged at a bottom in an installation position, wherein the chimney includes an air outlet, wherein the flow channel includes an air inlet, and wherein the absorber device is arranged between the air inlet and the air outlet in a flow direction.

25. The production plant according to claim 24, wherein the at least one chimney has a diameter between 20 meters and 30 meters, and has a height between 50 and 200 meters.

26. The production plant according to claim 24, wherein the flow channel passes under the photovoltaic modules.

27. The production plant according to claim 26, further comprising a plurality of flow channels having a quantity corresponding to a plurality of rows of the photovoltaic modules included in the photovoltaic unit.

28. The production plant according to claim 21, wherein the seawater desalination unit is configured and adapted to extract a quantity of desalinated water of 1.13 kg from a quantity of seawater of at least 1.5 kg.

29. The production plant according to claim 21, wherein the electrolysis nit is configured and adapted to separate from a quantity of water of at least 1.5 kg, a partial quantity of oxygen of at least 1.2 kg and a partial quantity of hydrogen of at least 0.1 kg.

30. The production plant according to claim 21, wherein the carbon dioxide absorption unit is configured and adapted to extract from an ambient air quantity of at least 3300 kg a carbon dioxide quantity of at least 1.1 kg.

31. The production plant according to claim 21, wherein the methanol synthesis unit is configured and adapted to produce a quantity of methanol of 1 kg from a quantity of hydrogen of at least 0.1 kg and a quantity of carbon dioxide of at least 1.1 kg.

32. The production plant according to claim 21, wherein the production to plant is a global plant complex comprising at least 1800 independently producing plants.

33. A method for production in a production plant of a globally usable energy carrier comprising: converting solar energy into electricity using a photovoltaic unit at a peak is power of at least 1.0 gigawatt absorbing at least 1500 kWh/m e a of solar energy; producing desalinated water from at least 900,000 tons of seawater per year using a desalination unit supplied with electricity by the photovoltaic unit; producing hydrogen from the desalinated water using an electrolysis unit supplied with electricity by the photovoltaic unit and supplied with desalinated water via a first pipeline from the desalination unit; absorbing at least 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide from ambient air via a carbon dioxide absorption unit supplied with electricity by the photovoltaic unit; synthesizing at least 300,000 tons per year of methanol regeneratively using a methanol synthesis unit supplied with hydrogen through a second pipeline from the electrolysis unit and supplied with carbon dioxide through a third pipeline from the carbon dioxide absorption unit, and supplied with electricity from the photovoltaic unit, wherein the methanol synthesis unit and the carbon dioxide absorption unit are connected for transferring heat generated during methanol synthesis.

34. The method of production for the production plant according to claim 33, further comprising using the synthesized methanol as fuel for mobility applications and cogeneration plants.

35. A system for the formation of a global carbon dioxide cycle with regeneratively produced methanol as an energy carrier comprising: a photovoltaic unit for converting solar energy into electricity and having a capacity of at least 1.0 gigawatt; a water supply unit having a seawater desalination unit for production of desalinated water having an intake capacity of at least 900,000 tons of seawater per year; an electrolysis unit for the production of hydrogen connected by at least one pipeline to the desalinated water of the water supply unit; a carbon dioxide absorption unit for absorbing carbon dioxide from ambient air and having an extraction capacity of at least 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year; a methanol synthesis unit for regeneratively producing methanol connected by a first pipeline to the electrolysis unit for supplying hydrogen and connected by a second pipeline to the carbon dioxide absorption unit for supplying carbon dioxide, wherein the methanol synthesis unit and the carbon dioxide absorption unit are connected for transferring heat generated during methanol synthesis, wherein the water supply unit, the electrolysis unit, the carbon dioxide absorption unit and the methanol synthesis unit each are connected to the photovoltaic unit for supplying electrical power and are further configured and arranged in a contiguous plant area aboard the energy carrier, wherein the photovoltaic unit is configured and adapted to capture at least 1500 kWh/m.sup.2a of solar energy, and wherein the methanol synthesis unit has an output capacity of at least 300,000 tons of regeneratively produced methanol per year; and a transport system connectable to the methanol synthesis unit and adapted to transport the regeneratively produced methanol from the methanol synthesis unit to at least one of (i) an output device or (ii) a distribution system configured and adapted to distribute the transported methanol from the output device to end users for combustion, wherein the carbon dioxide produced and released into atmosphere during combustion of the transported methanol is removable from the atmosphere directly or indirectly by the carbon dioxide absorption unit.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the end users include one or more of vehicles, aircraft, ships, chemical industry plants or cogeneration plants.

37. A method for formation of a global carbon dioxide cycle with regeneratively produced methanol as an energy carrier comprising: converting solar energy into electricity using a photovoltaic unit at a peak power of at least 1.0 gigawatt absorbing at least 1500 kWh/m.sup.2a of solar energy; producing desalinated water from at least 900,000 tons of seawater per year using a desalination unit supplied with electricity by the photovoltaic unit; producing hydrogen from the desalinated water using an electrolysis unit supplied with electricity by the photovoltaic unit and supplied with desalinated water via a first pipeline from the desalination unit; absorbing at least 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide from ambient air via a carbon dioxide absorption unit supplied with electricity by the photovoltaic unit; synthesizing at least 300,000 tons per year of methanol regeneratively using a methanol synthesis unit supplied with hydrogen through a second pipeline from the electrolysis unit and supplied with the carbon dioxide through a third pipeline from the carbon dioxide absorption unit, and supplied with electricity from the photovoltaic unit; and transporting the synthesized methanol via a transport system connectable to the methanol synthesis unit and adapted to transport the synthesized methanol from the methanol synthesis unit to at least one of (i) an output device or (ii) a distribution system configured and adapted to distribute the transported synthesized methanol from the output device to end users for combustion, wherein the carbon dioxide produced and released into atmosphere during combustion of the transported synthesized methanol is removable from the atmosphere directly or indirectly by the carbon dioxide absorption unit.

Description

[0048] The invention is explained in more detail by means of embodiment examples with reference to the attached schematic drawings with further details.

[0049] In these show

[0050] FIG. 1 perspective view of a plant for the production of a globally usable energy carrier according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0051] FIG. 2 perspective view of a plant for the production of a globally usable energy carrier according to a further preferred embodiment according to the invention;

[0052] FIG. 3 top view of a planar plant area of the system according to FIG. 2;

[0053] FIG. 4 schematic cross-section through the flat system area of the system according to FIG. 3 and

[0054] FIG. 5 flow diagram of the method for the production of a globally usable energy carrier with the plant according to FIG. 1 or the plant according to FIG. 2.

[0055] In the following, the same reference numerals are used for identical and identically acting parts.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a plant 10 designed to produce a globally usable energy carrier in the form of methanol. The plant 10 comprises the following components, namely an electrolysis unit 11, a carbon dioxide absorption unit 12, a seawater desalination unit 27, and a methanol synthesis unit 34. For supplying power to the aforementioned units, a power generation unit 31 in the form of a photovoltaic unit 24 is provided, which is connected to the respective units 11, 12, 27, 34 for supplying power.

[0057] Instead of the seawater desalination unit 27, another water supply unit can be provided which supplies the electrolysis unit 11 with salt-free water obtained, for example, from a river or lake. For the required water quantities, the seawater desalination unit 27 provided in the example shown in FIG. 1 is particularly advantageous, since unlimited quantities of water can be taken from the adjacent sea shown in FIG. 1 as a water reservoir.

[0058] As can be seen from FIG. 1, the above-mentioned plant components are arranged on a contiguous plant site so that the exchange of material flows between the various units and the power supply take place with the lowest possible losses. The shape of the plant is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1.

[0059] The electrolysis unit 11 is connected to the seawater desalination unit 27 by at least one pipeline (not shown) for the supply of water, in particular desalinated water. The desalinated water is supplied to the electrolysis unit 11 through the pipeline. The methanol synthesis unit 34 is connected, on the one hand, to the electrolysis unit 11 by at least one pipeline and, on the other hand, to the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 by at least one further pipeline. Through the two pipelines, the hydrogen produced in the electrolysis unit 11 and the carbon dioxide separated in the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 are fed to the methanol synthesis unit 34. Methanol is produced therefrom in the methanol synthesis unit 34. The seawater desalination unit is designed to receive and desalinate at least 900000 tons of seawater per year. The carbon dioxide absorption unit is designed to have an extraction capacity of at least 400000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, and in particular at least 600000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, extracted from ambient air. The methanol synthesis unit 34 is adapted to produce at least 300000 tons, in particular 450000 tons of regeneratively produced methanol per year.

[0060] The photovoltaic unit 24 comprises a power of approx. 1.5 GW and can absorb at least 1500 kWh/mea, depending on the solar radiation. For the location in the Middle East selected in FIG. 1, the photovoltaic unit 24 is adapted to absorb at least 2500 kWh/m.sup.2a. The electrolysis unit 11 is designed to separate a quantity of water M.sub.H2O by electrolysis into a partial quantity of oxygen M.sub.O2 and a partial quantity of hydrogen. The electrolysis unit 11 thus forms a unit for water electrolysis. The electrolysis unit 11 is connected to a water supply line 13 for receiving the water quantity M.sub.H2O. As can be seen in FIG. 1, a pump unit 25 is arranged between the electrolysis unit 11 and the water supply line 13. The pump unit 25 comprises at least one pump for conveying water from a water reservoir 26. The water reservoir 26 may be a sea with sea water. Alternatively, the water reservoir 26 may be a lake with fresh water. It is also possible that the water supply line 13 is connected to a river to draw fresh water for water electrolysis. In the plant 10 shown in FIG. 1, the water supply line 13 is connected to a sea for taking sea water. The plant 10 is located near the coast to keep the distance to be covered to the water supply, in particular the water supply line 13 short.

[0061] The pump unit 25 is designed to pump seawater from the sea and make it available to further plant parts or units for further processing. In order to prepare the seawater for the electrolysis process by the electrolysis unit 11, the plant 10 comprises a seawater desalination unit 27. The seawater desalination unit 27 is connected to the pump unit 25 by at least one pipeline. The seawater desalination unit 27 is adapted to separate out a certain amount of salt from the pumped seawater M.sub.H2O, so that the seawater comprises a reduced salt content after the desalination process by the seawater desalination unit 27. The desalinated seawater amount M.sub.H2O corresponds to the water amount M.sub.H2O, which is separated into an oxygen partial amount M.sub.O2 and a hydrogen partial amount by the electrolysis unit 11. The electrolysis unit 11 is connected to the seawater desalination unit 27 by at least one pipeline. In order to convey the desalinated seawater from the seawater desalination unit 27 to the electrolysis unit 11, at least one further pump can be interposed.

[0062] As described above, the electrolysis unit 11 is adapted to separate the absorbed water quantity M.sub.H2O into a hydrogen partial quantity and an oxygen partial quantity M.sub.O2. The hydrogen partial amount is supplied to the methanol synthesis unit 34. The oxygen partial amount M.sub.O2 is discharged to the environment. The electrolysis unit 11 is adapted to separate an oxygen partial quantity M.sub.O2 of at least 1.2 kg and a hydrogen quantity of at least 0.15 kg, in particular of 0.19 kg, from an absorbed water quantity M.sub.H2O of at least 1.5 kg. For discharging the generated partial oxygen quantity M.sub.O2, the electrolysis unit 11 comprises an oxygen outlet 16 which opens into the outside atmosphere. The plant 10 comprises a hydrogen transport device for supplying the hydrogen to the methanol synthesis unit 34, which is not shown.

[0063] It is possible for the plant 10 to comprise a hydrogen storage system so that the methanol synthesis unit 34 can be supplied with hydrogen as continuously as possible.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 1, the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 comprises an air inlet 14 for supplying ambient air UL and a downstream absorber unit 15. It is possible that the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 comprises one or more air inlets 14. The absorber unit 15 is connected to the air inlet 14. The absorber unit 15 is adapted to extract an amount of carbon dioxide from the ambient air UL. The carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 further comprises an air outlet 17 oriented upward in the vertical direction. The air outlet 17 is for discharging the exhaust air UL having a carbon dioxide concentration lower than the carbon dioxide concentration of the ambient air UL. The air outlet 17 is part of a chimney 19.

[0065] Specifically, the absorber unit 15 is disposed between the air inlet 14 and the air outlet 17. In operation, the ambient air UL flows through the air inlet 14 to the absorber unit 15, which separates, in particular filters, a certain amount of carbon dioxide from the air UL, wherein the filtered exhaust air UL flows after the absorber unit 15 through the air outlet 17 into the outside atmosphere. Generally, it is possible that a plurality of air inlets 14, a plurality of absorber units 15, and a plurality of air outlets 17 are provided.

[0066] Specifically, FIG. 1 shows a single chimney 19 with a height H of 200 meters, which exemplifies the external structure of the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12. The air outlet 17, as shown in FIG. 1, also discharges into the outside atmosphere, as does the oxygen outlet 16.

[0067] The plant 10 further comprises a carbon dioxide transport device, not shown, which is designed to make the carbon dioxide quantity separated from the ambient air UL available to a carbon dioxide storage unit and/or the methanol synthesis unit 34 for further processing. The carbon dioxide storage unit serves to ensure as continuous a supply of carbon dioxide as possible to the methanol synthesis unit 34.

[0068] The carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 comprises an extraction capacity of an amount of carbon dioxide per year of at least 400000 tons, in particular 600000 tons. In other words, the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 is adapted to process an amount of ambient air per year of at least 1500 megatons. Specifically, the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 is adapted to extract a carbon dioxide amount of at least 1.4 kg from an ambient air amount of at least 3300 kg.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 1, the plant 10 comprises a planar plant area 23. The planar plant area 23 is directly connected to the electrolysis unit 11. A power generation unit 31, which is a photovoltaic unit 24, is arranged on the planar plant area 23. The photovoltaic unit 24 is connected to the respective units of the plant 10 for power supply. The photovoltaic unit 24 is adapted in such a way that the entire plant 10 or the entire system 30 can be operated self-sufficiently in terms of energy. This is to be understood as meaning that the electrical power for operating the entire plant 10 is provided exclusively by solar energy by means of the photovoltaic unit 24. In other words, no fossil energy sources are used to operate the plant 10.

[0070] The areal plant area 23 has a longitudinal extension 32 of about 5000 meters and a transverse extension 33 of about 2000 meters. In other words, the area of the plant 10 covers an area of 10 square kilometers. The plant area shown in FIG. 1 containing the electrolysis unit 11 may has a partial longitudinal extension 29 of approximately two kilometers. Other partial longitudinal, longitudinal and transverse extents 29, 32, 33 are possible.

[0071] The seawater desalination unit 27 described above is connected to a water return line 28, through which a returnable seawater quantity M.sub.H2O with increased salt content is returned to the sea. Specifically, a certain salinity is extracted from the extracted seawater quantity and then returned to the sea with a portion of the extracted seawater quantity as a returnable water quantity M.sub.H2O. This provides a water cycle that is harmless to nature.

[0072] The preferred installation site of the plant 10 is near the coast of a sea. Particularly preferably, the plant 10 is set up in a desert. The plant 10 according to FIG. 1 is a large-scale power plant. The plant 10 comprises at least one mounting area 18 connected to a foundation of a building and/or a structure. Generally, it is possible that the electrolysis unit 11 and/or the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 are arranged in a common building or in separate buildings.

[0073] The power supply unit 31 preferably comprises a power storage unit, not shown, adapted to supply power to the plant 10 during nighttime operation.

[0074] In contrast to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows a plant 10 in which the single carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 is replaced by several carbon dioxide absorption units 12. The respective carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 according to FIG. 2 comprises a chimney 19 and a flow channel 21 extending transversely to the chimney 19. This is clearly visible in FIG. 4, for example. The flow channel 21 is connected to the chimney 19 at a region of the chimney arranged at the bottom in the installation position. An absorber unit 15 is arranged between the flow channel 21 and the chimney 19, which is designed to extract a quantity of carbon dioxide from ambient air UL. The absorber unit 15 is formed by an amine exchanger. Other types of absorber units are possible.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, the chimneys 19 are arranged along the longitudinal extension 32 of the planar plant area 23. The planar plant area 23 comprises a surface 22 arranged at the top in the installation position. The surface 22 arranged at the top is dark-colored, at least in sections, in order to absorb solar energy. The flow channels 21 are arranged below the surface 22 arranged at the top in the installation position. A plurality of air inlets 14 are formed in the upper arranged surface 22 for supplying ambient air UL into the flow channels 21. The air inlets 14 form through openings through the surface 22 arranged above. These are shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of better illustration only at the first flow channel 21. Likewise, the number of air inlets 14 is variable.

[0076] In operation, ambient air flows through the air inlets 14 into the flow channel 21 and then through the absorber unit 15. After the absorber unit 15, the exhaust air UL with reduced carbon dioxide concentration flows into the chimney 19 and through the air outlet 17 into the outside atmosphere. Due to the dark-colored surface 22 located at the top, the ambient air located below the surface 22 in the flow channel 21 heats up during operation. The temperature of the ambient air UL in the flow channel 21 is preferably about 60 C. When the outside temperature of the ambient air UL is about 40 C., natural ventilation is generated by the arrangement of the chimney with the flow channel 21 as well as the dark-colored surface 22. In other words, no fan or blower is necessary for the supply of the ambient air UL into the flow channel 21 as well as for the flow through the absorber unit 15 and the outflow of the purified ambient air UL from the chimney 19.

[0077] According to FIG. 3, a top view of the planar plant area 23 of the plant 10 according to FIG. 2 is shown. The numbering from 1 to 40 shown along the longitudinal extension 32 represents the number of chimneys 19 arranged along the longitudinal extension 32. The lines running transversely to the longitudinal extension 32 show schematic separations between the individual flow channels 21. The individual flow channels 21 are each assigned to a chimney 19. In each case, an absorber unit 15 is arranged between the flow channel 21 and the chimney 19. The longitudinal extent 32 of the two-dimensional plant area 23 is approximately 5000 meters and the transverse extent 33 of the two-dimensional plant area 23 is approximately 2000 meters. A total of forty chimneys 19 with a total of forty flow channels 21 are provided in the two-dimensional plant area 23. These have a combined discharge capacity of exhaust air UL of at least 1800 megatons per year.

[0078] To achieve this, the chimneys 19 comprise a diameter D which is 25 meters. The diameter D refers to that area of the chimney 19 in which the air outlet 17 is formed. The air outlet 17 is formed at a free end of the chimney 19. Furthermore, the respective chimney 19 comprises a height H of 100 meters. Thus, an optimal shape for the chimney effect for natural ventilation is formed. Other dimensions of the chimneys 19 are possible.

[0079] Furthermore, more or less than forty chimneys 19, each with an associated flow channel 21, may be arranged in the planar plant area 23.

[0080] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the planar plant area 23 is provided with a photovoltaic unit 24 on the surface 22 arranged at the top. In other words, a photovoltaic unit 24 is arranged on the top arranged surface 22 of the planar plant area 23. The photovoltaic unit 24 preferably comprises a power of 1.5 gigawatts per year. In the system 30 according to FIG. 2, the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 and the photovoltaic unit 24 thus spatially form a common unit. The photovoltaic unit 24 forms a power supply unit 31 for energy-autonomous operation of the entire plant 10.

[0081] It should be noted that the above-described plants 10 and systems 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are identical except for the differences described.

[0082] The method that can be carried out with the plant 10 according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 is explained with reference to the flow chart according to FIG. 4:

[0083] To produce a quantity of 1 kg of methanol, a quantity of approximately 2 kg of seawater is supplied to the plant 10 and desalinated in the seawater desalination unit 27. This produces about 1.13 kg of desalinated water. The residual salt water (about 0.87 kg) is returned to the sea through the water return line 28. In the electrolysis unit, the desalinated water and, if necessary, further quantities of water produced in subsequent process steps are split into hydrogen (approx. 0.19 kg) and oxygen (approx. 1.5 kg). The carbon dioxide absorption unit 12 takes in an amount of air of about 3371.75 kg through the air inlet 14 and extracts an amount of carbon dioxide of about 1.38 kg therefrom. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide are fed to the methanol synthesis unit where they are processed to produce 1 kg of methanol. The excess heat generated during the synthesis is fed to the carbon dioxide absorption unit 12. The synthesis further produces water in an amount of about 0.56 kg, which is fed to the electrolysis unit. For these process steps, the photovoltaic system converts approx. 51 kWh of solar energy into approx. 12.83 kWh of usable electricity energy.

[0084] The invention offers, as explained by the above embodiments, a technically feasible and economical solution to the acute climate problem, which can be implemented in a reasonable time frame due to the scalability of the described plants. The invention takes into account the geographical opportunities offered by certain regions of the world and is impressive in its simplicity.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0085] 10 plant [0086] 11 electrolysis unit [0087] 12 carbon dioxide absorption unit [0088] 13 water supply line [0089] 14 air inlet [0090] 15 absorber unit [0091] 16 oxygen outlet [0092] 17 air outlet [0093] 18 mounting area [0094] 19 chimney [0095] 21 flow channel [0096] 22 top arranged surface [0097] 23 planar plant area [0098] 24 photovoltaic unit [0099] 25 pump unit [0100] 26 water reservoir [0101] 27 sea water desalination unit [0102] 28 water return line [0103] 29 partial longitudinal extension [0104] 30 system [0105] 31 power generation unit [0106] 32 longitudinal extension [0107] 33 transverse extension [0108] 34 methanol synthesis unit [0109] 35 methanol output line [0110] UL environment air with increased carbon dioxide concentration [0111] UL exhaust air with reduced carbon dioxide concentration [0112] D diameter [0113] H height [0114] M.sub.H2O quantity of water [0115] M.sub.H2O recirculated water quantity [0116] M.sub.O2 partial oxygen quantity