An unnamed Chinese energy company is planning to build a 10,000 mt/year e-methanol plant by June next year.
About E-Methanol
The announcement came from German marine tech firm Environmental Marine Technology (EMT), which did not specify the Chinese company’s name, but said it was one of its clients. It was also not disclosed where the upcoming plant will be located. According to EMT, its Chinese client has already secured a “letter of purchase intention from well-established shipping companies from liners, oil tankers, and bulk carriers”. The company is also in talks with “multiple other shipping firms” about e-methanol pre-purchase agreements. E-methanol, or synthetic methanol, is produced from 100% biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) that is typically captured either as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), or through direct air capture (DAC). This CO2 is then reacted with green hydrogen using a catalyst.
Reducing Emissions
E-methanol can help reduce a vessel’s CO2 emissions by up to 95% compared to conventional marine fuels on a well-to-wake basis. The Chinese company plans to use wind energy to power the hydrogen synthesis process, EMT says. Construction of the e-methanol plant is scheduled to begin this August with an initial investment of $60 million. In parallel to this, the Chinese company will explore the feasibility of building a larger methanol plant with an output capacity of 500,000 mt/year, according to EMT. “Construction for this expanded facility is expected to commence in the second half of 2024, with the aim of supplying cost-effective and competitive green methanol to the global shipping market by the latter half of 2025.”
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Source: Engineonline
