Syngas News

Syngas News

CHINA

Long-term green methanol offtake agreement

Hapag-Lloyd has reached an agreement with China’s Goldwind for the delivery of 250,000 t/a of green methanol. This will consist of a blend of bio- and e-methanol, ensuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of at least 70%, and compliance with all current sustainability certification requirements, according to Hapag-Lloyd. By 2030, Hapag-Lloyd aims to reduce the absolute GHG emissions of its fleet by around one third compared to 2022, and says that compared to conventional fuels, the contracted volume of green methanol from Goldwind will save a total of up to 400,000 t/a of CO2e emissions in fleet operations per year. Goldwind is planning to build a new green methanol factory adjacent to its existing project in Hinggan, and will additionally deliver early volumes in 2026.

Hapag-Lloyd and Seaspan are converting five 10,100 TEU charter ships to a methanol dual-fuel propulsion system in 2026 and has additionally made the decision to purchase 24 new container ships with low-emission dual-fuel liquefied natural gas engines.

“With the agreement, we are securing a significant proportion of our requirements for green fuels. This will bring us an important step closer to our goal of achieving net-zero fleet operations by 2045. It is and remains our ambition to play a leading role in the transformation of the liner shipping industry,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to become a strong decarbonisation partner of Hapag-Lloyd… Goldwind highly values this endorsement and looks forward to deepening the collaboration,” said Wu Gang, Chairman of Goldwind. “[Our] planned new factory will share technology, utilities, facilities and infrastructures with its neighbouring sister plant, boosting production efficiency. It is still subject to the financial investment decision of the Goldwind Board. We anticipate the completion of a megaton green methanol base in Hinggan League in late 2027.” 

Clariant catalyst selected for biomass-to-methanol project

Clariant says that its MegaMax catalyst has been selected for China’s first commercial biomass gasification-to-green methanol project. The plant will use a combination of farm waste and wind power to produce up to 250,000 t/a of green methanol in two phases by 2027. Construction of the first plant phase began in March 2024 and is expected to start producing methanol in the first half of 2025.

Clariant says that MegaMax is an excellent solution for the project, as it provides enhanced stability and tolerance to the fluctuation of the system required for green methanol production. It also offers high activity even at very low reactor temperatures and pressures. Thanks to the catalyst’s enhanced selectivity, methanol yield is low in by-product formation, significantly improving the economics of green methanol synthesis.

Clariant will provide technical service through its Applied Catalyst Technology (ACT) team of engineers and experts. Further support can be provided through the CLARITY™ digital service portal, which offers access to real-time plant data to enhance reliability, safety, and profitability.

China to dominate global acetic acid capacity additions

China is set to dominate acetic acid capacity additions globally through 2028, contributing more than 90% of the total capacity additions from seven new builds and an expansion project, according to GlobalData. China is likely to see acetic acid capacity additions of 6.70 million t/a between 2024 and 2028. Acetic acid has application across multiple industries such as textiles, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. The highest capacity addition is 1.5 million t/a from the new Guangdong Shengyuanda Technology Jieyang acetic acid plant, which is expected to commence production in 2026.

SPAIN

Topsoe to provide technology for e-methanol project

Topsoe says that it has been selected to provide methanol synthesis technology and engineering support for Forestal del Atlántico’s Triskelion green methanol in Galicia. A final investment decision (FID) for the project is expected in June 2025, with first operation is planned for January 2028. The Triskelion project will produce 40,000 t/a of green methanol from electrolytically produced hydrogen for applications in the chemical and shipping industries, while capturing and using around 56,000 t/a of CO2 . The project is owned by Spanish shipping and chemicals company Forestal del Atlántico, and was a recipient of a euro 49 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund in 2023.

Kim Hedegaard, CEO Power-to-X at Topsoe, said: “We are excited to be selected as the technology provider for this promising project. e-Methanol will act as a key driver in decarbonising the energy-intensive sectors and may be one of the leading e-fuels used in reducing carbon emissions in industries such as international shipping. Topsoe and Forestal del Atlántico have a shared ambition to make the Triskelion project a European leader in this space, and we look forward to working together to turning these ambitions into reality.”

LIBYA

Libya upgrades methanol, urea plants

Sirte Oil Company, a subsidiary of Libya’s National Oil Company, has replaced 540 reformer tubes at its First Methanol Plant. The work was completed in less than the anticipated timescale and the plant is set to resume operations and increase production capacity, targeting an output of 1,000 t/d through the implementation of supporting projects and upgrades. Simultaneously, the state-owned Libyan Fertilizer Company (LIFECO) recently restarted its second urea plant after a 16-month shutdown. The restart follows the installation of a high-pressure reactor, relining of the high-pressure washing device and boiler repairs, allowing the plant to achieve 80% of its full capacity of 1,750 t/d. As part of its modernization efforts, LIFECO has also upgraded its logistics infrastructure with the acquisition of a new ship loader from Bruks Siwertell. The equipment, designed for efficient urea handling, incorporates advanced digital technology to enable remote operational support.

Libya’s gas valorisation strategy is integral to its efforts to expand its petrochemical sector, with much of this activity concentrated in the Marsa El-Brega industrial zone. This key port hub, managed by Sirte Oil Company, hosts Libya’s First Methanol Plant, along with two urea plants and two ammonia plants operated by LIFECO. To enhance petrochemical output, LIFECO has implemented extensive modernization and upgrades across its facilities, focusing on improving efficiency, increasing production capacity, and evaluating the development of new natural gas-based production units.

SAUDI ARABIA

Joint development agreement for low-carbon hydrogen solutions

Saudi Aramco and Topsoe have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to produce low-carbon hydrogen using Topsoe’s eREACT™ technology at the Shaybah Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) recovery plant in Saudi Arabia. Once operational, the plant’s 3 MW unit is expected to produce 6 t/d of low-carbon hydrogen daily. This collaboration will further demonstrate the integration of Aramco’s innovative palladium-alloy membrane technology ensuring the production of low-carbon hydrogen with simultaneous CO2 capture, combined with Topsoe’s expertise in carbon emission reduction technologies. The companies say that the successful commercialisation of eREACT™ technology will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the energy and chemical sectors.

eREACT™ uses an innovative electrified reactor design, which can convert a variety of feedstocks into low-carbon hydrogen or other chemicals and fuels. It is intended to replace fossil fuel used for heating the reformer with electrical heating. Efficiencies gained through the electrified heating has the potential of reducing the gas volumes needed for hydrogen production by up to 30%, as presently demonstrated at pilot scale.

INDIA

Collaboration on green methanol plant

Ohmium International, a designer and manufacturer of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers, is partnering with the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Breathe Applied Sciences, and Spirare Energy, to build India’s first green methanol plant. The project will combine green hydrogen generated by Ohmium electrolysers with CO2 captured from the Singareni thermal power plant to produce green methanol.

“Converting CO2 from coal based thermal power to green methanol can significantly advance decarbonization and sustainability,” said JNCASR Professor Sebastian Peter, Breathe Applied Sciences co-founder and project leader of the green methanol plant from JNCASR. “We are excited to see our research applied in this pioneering project and looking forward to seeing it scale.”

BRAZIL

Petrobras looking at green methanol production

European Energy signed a heads of agreement with state oil and chemical producer Petrobras to develop a commercial-scale green methanol production plant in the state of Pernambuco, building on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two companies in November 2023. European Energy will bring experience gained with Denmark’s first large-scale commercial e-methanol facility, which is projected to produce 32,000 t/a of green methanol, supported by off-take agreements with several major companies including Maersk.

“The partnership with Petrobras is important for our work in Brazil, which is a key market for us. The abundant resources of the country and the geographic location makes it an ideal hub for green methanol production,” said Thiago Arruda, European Energy’s Vice President for Latin America.

European Energy has secured a 25-year land lease agreement with the port of Suape for the proposed facility.

Green methanol for Latvia

South Korean clean energy firm Plagen has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Latvia’s AE Risinājumi for the production of green methanol in Latvia, commencing in 2028. Plagen’s MoU aims to produce 20,000 t/a of green methanol initially. Feasibility studies will begin in the first half of 2025, and full-scale production would begin in 2028, assuming a positive final investment decision. Feedstock would likely be from abundant wood waste; with 53% of Latvia’s land area covered by forests, timber production and wood processing make a significant contribution to Latvia’s economic production, and generates a large amount of forest residues and wood wastes. In addition, Latvia also has an abundance and low price of renewable electricity from wind power.

“We expect to start producing green methanol in Latvia in 2028, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from EU maritime transport vessels and contribute significantly to the revitalisation of the Latvian economy and national energy security” said John Kyung, CEO of Plagen.

ICELAND

Lava encircles carbon-dioxide-to-methanol pilot plant

Carbon Recycling International (CRI), which operates a geothermally powered green methanol plant at Svartsengi, 40km southwest of Reykjavik, had to evacuate its site in late November when a 3km fissure opened in the earth a few kilometres away and lava began spilling across adjacent land. Satellite photos of the area taken on November 24 show a large field of molten and cooled lava to the north, west, and south of Svartsengi, though the plant itself remained undamaged. CRI’s Iceland facility runs on CO2 , water, and renewable electricity from the Svartsengi geothermal power station. CRI says the low-carbon energy source allows it to produce 4,000 t/a of methanol with a greenhouse gas footprint just 10–20% that of conventional methanol.