What is green methanol? | BBC News

Key Concepts

• Green Methanol (e-methanol): Methanol produced using renewable energy and biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), resulting in a low net carbon footprint.
• Net Carbon Footprint: The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product or process, accounting for both emissions and removals, aiming for a near-zero or significantly reduced impact.
• Electrolyzer: A device that uses electricity to split water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) through a process called electrolysis.
• Biogenic CO2: Carbon dioxide derived from biological sources, such as biomass or animal waste, as opposed to fossil fuels.
• Synthesis: A chemical reaction where simpler substances combine to form a more complex compound, in this case, hydrogen and CO2 combining to form methanol.
• Power-to-X (PtX): A concept where renewable electricity is converted into other energy carriers or products, such as green hydrogen or green methanol.

Denmark's Pioneering Green Methanol Production

Denmark, a leader in clean energy, is actively developing new climate-friendly fuels for shipping, aviation, and industry. A new plant in southern Denmark, owned by European Energy and Japan's Mitsui, is the world's first commercial large-scale facility producing green methanol, also known as e-methanol. This fuel boasts a low net carbon footprint and serves as an ingredient for various products, including plastics, paint, and glue.

The plant has just commenced production, with an annual capacity of approximately 42,000 metric tons of green methanol. This represents a significant milestone, though acknowledged as a "small drop" in the context of global demand, it is considered a "very important drop" as the first commercial-scale output.

Applications and Key Customers

The green methanol produced at this facility has secured a diverse range of customers across different sectors:

• Shipping Industry: Shipping giant Maersk will utilize green methanol to power its large cargo ships, addressing the industry's pressure to decarbonize.
• Chemical Industry: Several chemical companies are customers, integrating green methanol into their production processes.
• Toy Manufacturing: Lego plans to incorporate green methanol into the production of its plastic toy bricks.
• Pharmaceuticals: Drug maker Novo Nordisk will use it in the manufacturing of injection pens.

Historically, methanol has been widely produced using fossil fuels like natural gas and coal. The key differentiator of green methanol is its production method, which replaces a fossil CO2 footprint with a CO2-neutral product, making everyday items greener.

Step-by-Step Production Process

The production of green methanol at this facility integrates renewable energy and sustainable CO2 sourcing:

1. Renewable Electricity Generation: The plant is powered by Northern Europe's biggest solar farm, spanning 300 hectares, ensuring a clean energy input.
2. Hydrogen Production (Electrolysis): Renewable electricity from the solar farm powers an electrolyzer. This enormous piece of equipment splits plain water into hydrogen and oxygen under high pressure and heat.
3. Biogenic CO2 Sourcing: Denmark, with its large pig population, generates significant amounts of manure. This manure is used to produce biogas, which is then purified to extract biogenic CO2. This organic source of CO2 is a crucial differentiator from fossil fuel-derived CO2.
4. Methanol Synthesis: The hydrogen produced from electrolysis and the biogenic CO2 are combined in a tall reactor tower. Inside, under high pressure and heat, they undergo a synthesis process to create green methanol.
5. Waste Heat Utilization: Excess heat generated during the plant's operations is captured and used to warm thousands of local homes, contributing to energy efficiency and local community benefits.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite its groundbreaking nature, the green methanol industry faces several challenges:

• Cost: Green methanol is currently around four to five times more expensive than its fossil fuel equivalent, posing an economic hurdle for widespread adoption.
• Scale: The current production capacity, while significant for a first-of-its-kind plant, is a "small drop" compared to the demand from industries like shipping, which involves "tens of thousands of cargo ships."
• Infrastructure and Transition Time: Adopting e-methanol in the shipping sector, for instance, would require new build ships to replace old ones, a process that could take decades to significantly decrease emissions.

However, the industry is optimistic about future growth and cost reduction. The developers acknowledge that the fossil fuel industry has had over a century to mature and scale. They are already planning "next facilities" that will produce significantly larger volumes at "significantly lower prices." Plants making greener fuels are emerging across Europe, the US, and other regions, signaling a collective effort to reduce the impact of heavy transport and industrial processes.

Conclusion

The establishment of Denmark's green methanol plant represents a pivotal advancement in the global transition to clean energy. By leveraging renewable solar power and biogenic CO2 from animal waste, it demonstrates a viable, albeit nascent, pathway to produce climate-friendly fuels. While challenges related to cost, scale, and infrastructure persist, the commitment from major industries like Maersk, Lego, and Novo Nordisk, coupled with plans for future expansion and cost reduction, underscores the potential for green methanol to play a crucial role in decarbonizing heavy transport and various industrial applications in the coming decades.