Sustainable Energy Resources for Driving Methane Conversion

The conversion of methane to value-added chemicals by traditional reforming processes suffers from intensive energy consumption due to its particularly strong CH bonds. Thus, it is urgent to optimize the driving force structure for methane conversion by accelerating the integration of sustainable energy. In this review, the advances in sustainable energy-driven methane conversion are systematically summarized to provide a scientific understanding of methane conversion in operation/storage concepts, reactor design, technological maturity, system optimization, and remaining issues. Furthermore, the essence, economic evaluations, energy balance, and social impacts of methane conversion driven by sustainable energy are carefully discussed, paving a path for the future course of research and development. Diversifying the energy mix can play an important role in the future of sustainable energy-driven methane conversion industries, being used as a crucial step for the transition to sustainable energy, especially the combination of solar/nuclear energy with fossil fuels to produce value-added chemicals. Additionally, this review intends to bridge the studies of methane conversion and sustainable energy-driven development, with the ultimate goal of offering a robust framework to understand the current status of sustainable energy-driven methane conversion and provide guidance for the design of sustainable solutions for a greener future.