Skip to main content

Nitrogen+Syngas 383 May-Jun 2023

31 May 2023

Syngas News Roundup

Syngas News

UNITED KINGDOM

Johnson Matthey to license technology for low-carbon hydrogen project

Johnson Matthey (JM) has signed an LCH™ technology licence with Equinor and Linde Engineering for H2H Saltend, one of the UK’s largest low carbon hydrogen projects. JM was selected alongside EPC partner Linde Engineering for the major FEED contract by Equinor. The licence counts towards JM’s milestone of winning more than ten additional large-scale projects by 2023/24.

H2H Saltend is a 600 MW low carbon (blue) hydrogen production plant with over a 95% carbon capture rate, one of the first of its kind and scale in the UK, helping to establish the Humber as an international hub for low carbon hydrogen. This is the first phase of Equinor’s ‘Hydrogen to Humber’ (H2H) ambition to deliver 1.8 GW of low carbon hydrogen production in the region, nearly 20% of the UK’s national production target by 2030.

Due to be operational by 2027 and located at the energy intensive Saltend Chemicals Park, to the east of Hull, it will help to reduce the park’s emissions by up to one third. To achieve this, low carbon hydrogen will directly displace natural gas in several industrial facilities reducing the carbon intensity of their products, as well as being blended into natural gas as the Equinor and SSE Thermal’s Saltend Power Station. The amount of CO2 captured will be around 890,000 t/a, equivalent to taking about 500,000 cars off the road annually.

Alberto Giovanzana, Chief Commercial Officer, Catalyst Technologies at Johnson Matthey said: “Hydrogen will play an important role in helping us reduce carbon emissions. Using Johnson Matthey’s LCH™ technology for this project will enable the production of hydrogen with 95% less emissions and demonstrate the UK’s leadership in low carbon technologies. We’re excited our technology was chosen to be at the heart of this leading project, creating huge energy efficiencies for our customers.”

Johnson Matthey (JM) has also extended its partnership with SFC Energy to include a commitment from JM to develop and supply proton exchange membrane (PEM) components to support SFC Energy’s growth in hydrogen fuel cells. SFC Energy AG is a leading provider of hydrogen and direct methanol fuel cells for stationary and mobile hybrid power solutions. With more than 60,000 fuel cells sold worldwide, SFC is expanding its offering of higher power hydrogen fuel cells for stationary markets.

JM and SFC’s long-term collaboration has to date centred around the supply of components for SFC’s direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) systems. Now SFC will receive assets and technology to produce these components for DMFC at SFC’s new development and manufacturing site near Swindon, UK. JM and SFC plan for JM to supply catalysts for this application for at least 5 years. This agreement allows JM to focus on its strategic hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyser business, and SFC to secure the supply chain for this important part of their business.

Looking to the future, JM and SFC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) detailing their intention to work together in the field of hydrogen fuel cells for stationary applications, where PEM components will be developed under a joint development agreement (JDA) with the intent that JM supplies these components for at least 5 years.

Mark Wilson, Chief Executive of Hydrogen Technologies at Johnson Matthey said: “The evolution of our partnership with SFC Energy to focus on PEM components demonstrates how our technology, manufacturing capabilities, and expertise make us ideal long-term partners for our customers. It is an important step in the implementation of our strategy.”

DENMARK

Lego to buy green methanol for plastics production

Toy maker LEGO says that it will buy green methanol for use in manufacturing its colourful plastic bricks when the world’s first large-scale plant starts operations next year. Privately owned renewable energy firm European Energy, which is developing the plant in Aabenraa, Denmark, says that Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk will also buy its green methanol to substitute for fossil-based plastic in insulin pens and other medical devices.

The European Energy plant will begin producing 32,000 t/a of green methanol per year from next year, based on energy from wind and solar plants as well as biogenic carbon dioxide. Shipping company Maersk, which has 19 vessels on order that can sail on methanol, last year agreed to purchase half of capacity at the plant.

SPAIN

Técnicas Reunidas begins engineering work on green methanol plant

CETAER (Centro de Transición Andaluz de Energías Renovables) has signed a collaboration agreement with Técnicas Reunidas for the development of a green methanol plant to be built in Almería. The facility will produce 37,000 t/a of green methanol using 7,200 t/a of renewable hydrogen with 54,000 t/a of carbon dioxide captured in industrial processes. It is expected to start commercial operations in 2026.

The project, called “Nascar”, includes in a first stage the configuration study of the plant, the preparation of the technical documentation for the permits and the development of a feasibility analysis. The second and third stages of the agreement will cover front-end engineering design and engineering, procurement and construction services, respectively.

Anticipated demand for green methanol as an alternative energy resource to non-renewable fuels in the transport sector will ultimately lead to the plant reaching a capacity of 300,000 t/a by 2030. Spain’s Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDEA) has awarded the project a “Pioneers 3 Plan” subsidy, recognising it as an “actual and effective integration of a large scale electrolyser in the context of an industrial solution to proof the viability of massive renewable hydrogen production”.

SWEDEN

Gothenburg to develop methanol bunkering storage

The port of Gothenburg is partnering with Inter Terminals Sweden (ITS) to develop a methanol storage facility for bunkering by the end of 2023. ITS will rebuild tanks and other related infrastructure in Gothenburg. The management of the gases from methanol when loading into ships is that will be handled through a vapor recovery unit, ITS said. In January, ship owner Stena Line bunkered its methanol-powered ferry Stena Germanica in Gothenburg via ship-to-ship transfer. Previously, Stena Germanica received methanol from trucks when berthed at the port. The methanol was supplied from methanol producer Methanex.

The port of Shanghai, the world’s busiest.
PHOTO: SIPG

CHINA

Maersk to bunker green methanol in Shanghai

Maersk has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) on strategic cooperation for Shanghai port’s methanol marine fuel project. The two parties will collaborate to explore green methanol fuel vessel-to-vessel bunkering operations after Maersk’s green methanol container vessels arrive in 2024. Maersk and SIPG will deepen cooperation in stages, according to the shipping company.

In the first phase, SIPG, as Maersk’s potential energy bunkering service provider, will carry out services of vessel-tovessel bunkering and fuel tank storage at the port. In the potential second stage, the parties will explore how to form an all-round energy strategic partnership to promote the extension from bunkering services to the upstream of the green methanol industry chain.

Maersk has set a net-zero emissions target for 2040 across the entire business, and the delivery and operation of its 19 vessels – with dual-fuel engines that are able to operate on green methanol – is expected to accelerate the evolution of climate neutral shipping. Maersk says that establishing port bunkering infrastructure for methanol is thus imperative to achieve this goal.

“We are very pleased to form the partnership with SIPG, leveraging its strong capabilities in bunkering service and port operation,” said Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk. “Through joint efforts, we can provide low-carbon logistics service for our customers, also contributing to China’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2060. Meanwhile, we also endeavour to cultivate synergies with SIPG and fuel manufacturers to optimise fuel infrastructure efficiencies.”

Chairman of Shanghai International Port Group, Gu Jinshan, said: “As the demand for sustainable fuels increase, establishing the green fuel bunkering service will be another milestone for SIPG, improving port services and enhancing the competitiveness of Shanghai port, in a bid to transform the company into a low-carbon and eco-friendly energy hub in Asia Pacific.”

INDIA

Jakson Green to set up small scale green methanol plant

Indian energy company Jakson Green has won a contact from state-run NTPC to set up a methanol synthesis facility at its Vindhyachal thermal power plant in Madhya Pradesh. The methanol plant will have a production capacity of 10 t/d (3,300 t/a). It will convert 20 t/d of CO2 to methanol through a catalytic hydrogenation process, using carbon dioxide captured from the power plant’s flue gas together with green hydrogen produced by electrolysis, the company said.

Jakson Green will oversee the entire design, engineering, procurement, and construction of the project on a turnkey basis, in partnership with NTPC and their Japanese technology provider for the methanol synthesis process.

Tata Steel to set up a pilot green methanol plant

A similar sized (10 t/d) unit is also planned by Tata Steel at its Kalinganagar facility in Odisha to produce methanol using blast furnace flue gases. The project aims to explore the possibility of combining carbon dioxide from steel mill blast furnaces with hydrogen from electrolysers to produce green methanol. This will enable Tata Steel to test the feasibility of this process and potentially pave the way for a more sustainable approach to methanol production in the country.

FINLAND

Lhyfe buys into Flexens

Lhyfe, a French developer of green and renewable hydrogen projects, has announced that it has acquired a 49% stake in the Finnish company Flexens, also involved in renewable and green hydrogen as well as Power-to-X projects. This is Lhyfe’s first major investment, and is part of its strategy to expand rapidly in countries with major plans for renewable and green hydrogen. The move will accelerate the commercial deployment and Finland-based projects for both entities.

Flexens was founded to capitalise on the expertise gained from the Smart Energy Åland (SMÅ) research programme, and has developed significant capabilities in energy system modelling and project development since 2018. It has a commercial pipeline with a total foreseen capacity exceeding 1.5 GW in Finland and abroad, including: a 300 MW project at Kokkola, backed by letters of intent with critical stakeholders and expected to be commissioned by 2027; Åland, where after many years of research in the Åland archipelago, the company has developed the world-leading Smart Energy Åland demonstration project to showcase a society based on 100% renewable electricity, using hydrogen and Power-to-X applications; and finally Lempäälä, where Flexens will launch an initial 2.5 MW green hydrogen production unit in 2025, which will be connected to Finland’s first hydrogen refuelling station. The plant will be integrated into the local intelligent energy system LEMENE, owned by the energy company Lempäälän Energia.

Lhyfe inaugurated the world’s first industrial site for the production of green hydrogen in direct connection with a wind farm in 2021 and, in 2022, the world’s first offshore green hydrogen production demonstrator. The company aims to have more than 3 GW of installed capacity by 2030, and will have three new industrial sites in operation by the end of 2023 and has already announced several projects throughout Europe, including in Nordic countries, with GreenLab and GreenHy-Scale in Denmark, Storgrundet, Trelleborgs Energi and Harjedalen in Sweden and Horisont Energi in Norway.

Latest in Asia

Start-up of world’s largest methanol plant

Johnson Matthey (JM) says that the three methanol production trains of Inner Mongolia Baofeng Coal-based New Materials Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group, were successfully commissioned in November 2024, February 2025, and March 2025, respectively. Located in the Wushenqi Sulige Economic Development Zone of Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, this plant employs Johnson Matthey’s advanced methanol synthesis technology and catalysts, making it the largest single methanol plant in the world. Inner Mongolia Baofeng also stands as one of the largest chemical enterprises globally that produces polyethylene and polypropylene by using coal as a substitute for oil.

Jilin Electric Power commissions green ammonia plant

Jilin Electric Power says that it has commissioned one of the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia plants in Jilin Province. Jilin says that this is the world’s largest operating green ammonia plant, with a capacity of up to 32,000 t/a of green hydrogen and 180,000 t/a of green ammonia; the largest combined PEM and alkaline electrolyser system, combining 196 MW of alkaline electrolysis and 52 MW of PEM electrolysis, respectively; and the world’s largest block of solid-state hydrogen storage - 48,000 Nm3. The plant is fed by 800 MW of installed renewable power. The green ammonia is EU-certified under low-carbon fuel standards, and offtake agreements are in place with companies located in Europe, Japan and South Korea.

Partnership for sustainable energy solutions

Clariant has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai Boiler Works, a full subsidiary of Shanghai Electric specialising in energy conversion and the development of new energy applications, to jointly foster innovation in sustainable energy solutions. The partners will combine their expertise to advance green energy projects in China. The agreement is the result of close and successful cooperation in Shanghai Electric’s new biomass-to-green methanol plant in Taonan, Jilin Province, China. In addition to supplying its MegaMax catalysts, Clariant provided technical on-site support during the successful startup of the 50,000 t/a plant. The second phase of the project, with a capacity of 200,000 t/a green methanol and 10,000 t/a of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), is expected to start production in 2027. The ceremony for the official signing of the partnership contract took place last week at the Clariant Innovation Center in Frankfurt, Germany.

Biomethanol plant for Kandla

The Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, has issued a tender for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build India’s first port-based bio-methanol plant. The 3,500 t/a plant will use oxy-steam gasification technology to convert biomass into bio-methanol. The scope covers design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and product certification, with bidders required to outline plant life, warranties, capital expenditure, and operating costs. The move follows DPA’s earlier call in May for turnkey proposals for a larger integrated plant of over 15,000 t/a, and its February 2025 agreement with Bapu’s Shipping Jamnagar Pvt. Ltd. to develop India’s first bio-methanol bunkering facility, including a dedicated bunker barge, at Kandla Port.

Study on ammonia fuel storage tanks and transportation equipment

Shipping classification society ClassNK has formed a consortium with IHI Corporation, JFE Steel, Tohoku University, and Institute of Science Tokyo to participate in Japan’s Feasibility Study Program on Energy and New Environmental Technology. The consortium will promote the development of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) probability evaluation tools for fuel ammonia storage tanks and transportation equipment. Initially, the consortium will conduct a detailed study of the SCC mechanism involved in steel cracking due to the combined effects of mechanical stress and corrosion caused by liquid ammonia. Thereafter, the consortium plans to develop tools for easily and accurately assessing SCC probability. Finally, opinions will be solicited from stakeholders to formulate risk-based maintenance procedures for fuel ammonia storage and transportation facilities, and marine fuel tanks ultimately to promote the expanded use of fuel ammonia.