Solution provider
European Energy is a global renewable energy developer of wind, solar and Power-to-X projects.
Case
Power-to-x
Green hydrogen
The world’s biggest commercial e-methanol plant
25. September 2023
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Challenge
In the coming years, sectors such as shipping, aviation, and the chemical industry must significantly reduce their fossil CO2 emissions.
For these sectors, direct electrification is often not a feasible solution in the foreseeable future. However, lower-carbon alternatives exist that can help decarbonise heavy transport and the chemical industry substantially.
With Power-to-X technologies, we can significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption across these sectors. By transforming renewable energy from wind and solar into e-fuels, we can secure a fossil-free energy source and raw material for those sectors where direct electrification is impractical or unfeasible.
Facts about Kassø Power-to-X
304 MW of renewable electricity
The largest solar park in the Nordic region, the 304 MW Kassø Solar Park, supplies the Power-to-X plant with renewable electricity.
42,000 tonnes of e-methanol
When fully operational, the Power-to-X plant can produce up to 42,000 tonnes of e-methanol (50 million litres) annually. That amount is equivalent to the annual volume of three to four of Maersk’s first green container ships.
45,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2
The production includes approximately 45,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 captured from a nearby biogas plant.
52 MW electrolysis
With 52 MW of electrolyser capacity, the Power-to-X plant produces around 6000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, which is processed into e-methanol.
100+ full-time jobs
The Power-to-X plant employs over 100 people during the construction phase, half of whom are locals. Around 30 full-time employees will manage the day-to-day operations of the completed plant, with support from external subcontractors.
Heating for 2,500 households
The excess heat from the e-methanol production is used for district heating in the local area, providing heat for 2,500 households.
Solution
Through the world’s first large-scale commercial green methanol plant, Danish developer European Energy will convert renewable electricity from solar panels into e-methanol.
The plant features three 17.5 MW electrolysers to produce 6,000 tons hydrogen per year from 90,000 tons of water. The water is sourced from own boreholes and the local water company. The hydrogen is combined with biogenic CO2 and through an in-house developed methanol synthesis process produces up to 42,000 tonnes e-methanol per year. This methanol is then shipped to off-takers Maersk, LEGO, and Novo Nordisk.
The excess heat from the e-methanol production is used for district heating in the local area.
Facts about biogenic CO2
When using e-methanol as a renewable fuel, we avoid fossil CO2 emissions. The biogenic CO2 captured from, e.g., biogas production is central to making e-methanol a green alternative to fossil fuels. Unlike fossil CO2, biogenic CO2 is considered climate neutral in climate accounting.
We will need large amounts of biogenic CO2 for the production of e-methanol. At the same time, supply is expected to decrease because biomass consumption is generally expected to decrease in the coming years.
Source: European Energy
Result
Kassø Power-to-X will, upon completion in 2024, contribute to decarbonisation across the energy sector. It will demonstrate an efficient and commercially viable solution to production of e-fuels, benefitting the green transition.
