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Nitrogen+Syngas 397 Sep-Oct 2025

15 September 2025

Alliance for green energy projects

Alliance for green energy projects

Clariant has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai Boiler Works, a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric which specialises in energy conversion and the development of new energy applications, to jointly foster innovation in sustainable energy solutions. The partners say that they will combine their expertise to advance green energy projects in China.

Clairant says that the agreement is the result of close and successful cooperation in Shanghai Electric’s new biomass-to-green methanol plant in Taonan, Jilin Province. In addition to supplying 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 sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), is expected to start production in 2027.

Georg Anfang, Vice President at Clariant, commented: “We are proud to add China’s first biomass to green methanol plant in Taonan to a strong series of facilities that are already producing green methanol with our high-performance MegaMax catalysts. As China is becoming one of the frontrunners in the energy transition, our strategic alliance with Shanghai Electric will further strengthen Clariant´s footprint as a key enabler to produce clean energy, chemicals, and fuels.”

Shanghai Electric’s biomass to methanol plant.
PHOTO: CLARIANT

Qiu Jiayou, Vice President at Shanghai Electric, added, “We are proud of the successful launch of our new project and are equally delighted about our strategic agreement with Clariant, a company which understands and shares our vision for the future. Our teams look forward to joining forces to develop exceptional, sustainable energy solutions for customers around the globe.”

The strategic cooperation agreement will combine Shanghai Electric’s process competence and plant design capabilities with Clariant’s catalyst expertise. The scope of the agreement includes collaborative research and development, engineering design services, supply of chemical equipment, and turnkey solutions. Clariant will share its extensive knowledge and advanced catalysts for producing green methanol, e-methanol, green ammonia, and sustainable aviation fuel, as well as for gas purification.

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