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Tag: Johnson Matthey

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.

Design contract for new methanol plant

Tecnicas Reunidas and Siemens Energy have been awarded the contract to carry out front-end engineering design (FEED) for a major green methanol project in La Robla, Spain. The consortium will work on the project for Spanish developer Reolum, part of a partnership that says it is building the largest green methanol plant in Europe. The La Robla Nueva Energia facility will combine biogenic CO2 from a co-located biomass-based cogeneration plant with green hydrogen to produce 140,000 t/a of low carbon methanol. Tecnicas Reunidas will focus on the biogenic carbon capture and methanol production units, while Siemens Energy will handle the renewable hydrogen unit. Johnson Matthey has been selected to supply its eMERALD methanol technology, while Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will license it CO2 capture technology for the project.

JM releases data on reformer catalyst

Johnson Matthey (JM) has released new production performance data which shows the significant improvements in efficiency of existing steam methane reformer (SMR) based hydrogen plants with the use of its catalyst, CATACEL SSR ™ . The company says that the data show that the catalyst can increase hydrogen plant capacity by 15% and reduce reformer energy use per unit of hydrogen by 15%, with a 5% reduction in gas consumption per unit hydrogen, as well as ease of installation, and enhanced durability and heat transfer. The catalyst uses uniquely engineered structures of thin metal foils, or “fans,” coated with catalysts through a proprietary process, which offer greater surface area, higher durability, and superior heat transfer, essential for high-temperature processes such as SMR.