A techno-economic analysis was conducted for metal–organic framework (MOF) adsorbents, which are promising candidates for light-duty vehicle on-board natural gas and hydrogen storage. The goal of this analysis was to understand cost drivers for large-scale (2.5 Mkg/year) MOF synthesis and to identify potential pathways to achieving a production cost of less than $10/(kg of MOF). Four MOFs were analyzed with four different metal centers and three different linkers: Ni2(dobdc) (dobdc4– = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; Ni-MOF-74), Mg2(dobdc) (dobdc4– = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; Mg-MOF-74), Zn4O­(bdc)3 (bdc2– = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; MOF-5), and Cu3(btc)2 (btc3– = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate; HKUST-1). Baseline costs are projected to range from $35/kg to $71/kg predicated on organic solvent (solvothermal) syntheses using an engineering scale-up of laboratory-demonstrated synthesis procedures and conditions. Two alternative processes were analyzed to evaluate the cost impact of reducing solvent usage: liquid assisted grinding (LAG) and aqueous synthesis. Cost projections from these alternative synthesis approaches range from $13/kg to $36/kg (representing 34–83% reductions), demonstrating the large impact of solvent on the baseline analysis. Finally, sensitivity studies were conducted to identify additional opportunities for achieving MOF production costs of less than $10/kg.

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This paper compares the relative cost of long-distance, large-scale energy transmission by electricity, gaseous, and liquid carriers (e-fuels). The results indicate that the cost of electrical transmission per delivered MWh can be up to eight times higher than for hydrogen pipelines, about eleven times higher than for natural gas pipelines, and twenty to fifty times higher than for liquid fuels pipelines. These differences generally hold for shorter distances as well. The higher cost of electrical transmission is primarily because of lower carrying capacity (MW per line) of electrical transmission lines compared to the energy carrying capacity of the pipelines for gaseous and liquid fuels. The differences in the cost of transmission are important but often unrecognized and should be considered as a significant cost component in the analysis of various renewable energy production, distribution, and utilization scenarios.