energy_mass_balancecostinghydrogen
Screening synthetic natural gas (SNG) output and levelized cost (EUR/MWh) for catalytic CO2 methanation from green hydrogen and captured CO2.
Nameplate synthetic natural gas output power (LHV).
min 100 · max 100000 · step 100 · kW
Average annual utilization relative to rated power.
min 5 · max 100 · step 1 · %
Chemical LHV efficiency H2 -> CH4. Default 0.75 reflects real catalytic PtG plants (~70-78%); Goetz theoretical ceiling ~78%. Drives H2 demand, which dominates cost.
min 0.5 · max 0.85 · step 0.01 · fraction
Fraction of CO2 converted to CH4 (multi-stage ~98%). Applies to CO2 feed sizing only.
min 0.8 · max 1 · step 0.01 · fraction
Delivered green hydrogen price (dominant cost driver).
min 0 · max 20 · step 0.5 · EUR/kg
Captured CO2 cost (point-source ~60-80 EUR/t; DAC higher).
min 0 · max 300 · step 5 · EUR/t
Methanation CAPEX per kW SNG at reference size (Goetz/Outotec ~400 at 5 MW).
min 100 · max 1500 · step 10 · EUR/kW
Annual O&M as a fraction of CAPEX (Frontiers ~5%).
min 0 · max 0.2 · step 0.005 · fraction
Used to compute the capital recovery factor (CRF).
min 0 · max 0.2 · step 0.005 · ratio
Economic lifetime for CAPEX annualization (PtG ~20 yr).
min 1 · max 40 · step 1 · years
Annual SNG output (LHV)
Specific H2 consumption
Annual SNG mass
Annual hydrogen demand
Annual CO2 demand
Methanation CAPEX
Annualized CAPEX
Total annual cost
Levelized cost of SNG
Calculator context
Screening calculator for catalytic CO2 methanation (Sabatier: CO2 + 4 H2 -> CH4 + 2 H2O) producing synthetic natural gas. Computes annual SNG energy, hydrogen and CO2 feed demand, annualized CAPEX via the capital recovery factor, and the levelized cost of SNG (EUR/MWh, LHV). Grounded on Goetz et al. (2016) Renewable Power-to-Gas review (efficiency, conversion, CAPEX), Frontiers in Energy Research (2021) techno-economics, IRENA/IEA hydrogen and CO2 price references. Hydrogen feedstock dominates the cost.
12 assumptions used in the calculations
Structural unit constant for comparisons, penalty and CRF.
Structural zero constant for guards.
Mass unit conversion t to kg.
Market range Exact.
Lower heating value of methane (50 MJ/kg).
Market range 13.9 kWh/kg (LHV); 15.4 (HHV).
Lower heating value of hydrogen for the H2 energy demand.
Market range 33.3 (LHV); 39.4 (HHV).
Stoichiometric CO2 per CH4 mass (44.01/16.04).
Market range 2.744 (stoichiometric).
Part-load efficiency penalty coefficient on H2 demand.
Upper clamp on part-load penalty.
Reference SNG power at which specific CAPEX is quoted.
Economy-of-scale exponent for methanation CAPEX vs SNG power.
Market range -0.1 to -0.3.
Lower clamp on the CAPEX scaling multiplier.
Upper clamp on the CAPEX scaling multiplier.
Primary reference
Goetz et al. 2016 (Renewable Energy); Frontiers in Energy Research 2021; IRENA; IEA
