System for the manufacture of methanol and simultaneous abatement of emission of greenhouse gases

A method for the joint i) abatement of emission of a "greenhouse" gas by removing carbon dioxide from a water vapor-bearing effluent and ii) manufacture of methanol by reaction of hydrogen with the removed carbon dioxide, comprising:

• a) reacting carbon dioxide in a water vapor-bearing waste gas stream from one of burning fossil fuel, conducting a fermentation process, conducting municipal waste treatment process and operating a lime kiln by flowing contact of the water vapor-bearing waste gas stream with a bed of basic metal oxide at a temperature and pressure suitable to form a metal carbonate,
• b) terminating said contact when said bed has been substantially converted to said carbonate,
• c) heating said carbonate to a temperature and pressure suitable to release carbon dioxide therefrom, and
• d) mixing said released carbon dioxide with hydrogen from a source of hydrogen and passing the resulting mixture over a catalyst of another metal oxide at a suitable temperature and pressure for a reaction to form methanol, and thereby forming methanol.