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Nitrogen+Syngas 399 Jan-Feb 2026

27 January 2026

Clariant catalysts selected for waste-to-methanol plant

SPAIN

Clariant catalysts selected for waste-to-methanol plant

Clariant says it is collaborating in Repsol’s pioneering methanol plant in El Morell near Tarragona, Spain. The Ecoplanta project will be the first of its kind in Europe to convert municipal waste into renewable methanol, using Enerkem’s advanced waste gasification process, supported by a range of Clariant’s syngas purification catalysts and its highly active MegaMax methanol synthesis catalysts. Scheduled for completion in 2029, the plant will use 400,000 t/a of non-recyclable solid municipal waste to produce 240,000 t/a of methanol.

Georg Anfang, Vice President Syngas and Fuels at Clariant Catalysts, commented, “We are proud to collaborate with Repsol and Enerkem in the prestigious Ecoplanta project to support Europe’s energy transition. Leveraging our decades of innovations in methanol synthesis catalysts, Clariant is uniquely positioned to drive the large-scale deployment of low-carbon methanol technologies that will play a decisive role in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries.”

Michel Chornet, CEO of Enerkem, added, “We are excited to contribute to the Ecoplanta project and set an inspiring example for others on the path to decarbonisation. Our technology not only enables large-scale production of low-carbon methanol and the reduction of waste in landfills but also avoids substantial greenhouse gas emissions. According to estimates, abatement will be equivalent to 3.4 million tons of CO2 in the first 10 years of operation.”

After gasification of municipal waste, the trap and guard catalysts will be used to efficiently remove all types of impurities, such as metals, halogens, and sulphur species. The purified syngas will then be converted to methanol using the MegaMax series catalysts. Due to its high activity, the catalyst can optimise methanol yield while significantly reducing operating costs. It also offers enhanced selectivity, which reduces the formation of by-products and thus improves the sustainability and economics of bio-methanol production.

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