The world’s first commercial-scale factory of its kind to create methanol from captured waste CO2 and hydrogen gas has started operations in Anyang, Henan Province, China.
Utilizing Carbon Recycling International’s (CRI) Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL) technology, the facility will have the ability to capture 160,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually while producing 110,000 tonnes of methanol.
Within CRI’s ETL reactor system, specialized catalysts are used to transform the CO2 and hydrogen feed gases into low carbon-intensity methanol.
Methanol that is produced sustainably can subsequently be utilized as a feedstock for a variety of businesses, particularly the plastics industry, as a direct fuel source for automobiles, or as a synthesis (syn) gas to convert into liquid fuels via the methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) process.
By using the CO2 that has been captured, the process reduces the number of hazardous emissions that are released into the atmosphere and creates a clean fuel source that can take the place of the conventional coal-based methanol that is now produced in China.
Björk Kristjánsdóttir, CEO of CRI, commented on the plant’s startup and emphasized how the ETL technology may promote widespread reductions in CO2 emissions, assisting in the energy transition.
“We look forward to continuing to make substantial impact by implementing the technology with our current and prospective partners,” he continued, “with rising demand for such solutions.”
According to the Methanol Institute, methanol may power up to seven million cars in China, accounting for more than 5% of the country’s fuel supply. Methanol emits 26% less CO2 than typical gasoline-powered vehicles, even when it is generated primarily using coal-based techniques.
According to the Institute, renewable methanol entirely removes sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions while reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by up to 80% and CO2 emissions by up to 95% when compared to traditional fuels.
The second project in China that CRI announced last year is anticipated to start operating in the second part of 2023.
