Specialty chemicals manufacturer Perstorp develops a production concept to produce methanol from a large variety of recovered, end-of-life streams and hydrogen from electrolysis. Project AIR will build a large-scale, commercial carbon capture and utilization (CCU) unit to produce sustainable methanol. The methanol plant will be unique in that it involves a combined CCU and gasification process where CO2, residue streams, renewable hydrogen and biomethane are converted to methanol, according to the company. Perstorp plans to do this in cooperation with Fortum, Uniper and Nature Energy.
“This innovation would both optimize the use of existing technologies whilst building something completely new, as well as demonstrating carbon capture and utilization, using captured CO2 as a raw material,” says Perstorp President and CEO Jan Secher. “It would be a concrete example of the transition towards a circular economy and of how significant CO2 emission reductions could be achieved by utilizing existing resources and closing loops. This would be an important step for us to achieve our goal of becoming finite material neutral.”
Project AIR aims to substitute the 200,000 tons of fossil methanol that Perstorp uses annually in Europe as a raw material for chemical products. The project would support companies downstream in the value chains in their efforts towards renewable/circular materials and reduced carbon footprints, and in their ability to offer sustainable, affordable products. If completed, Project AIR will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 500,000 tons annually, according to Perstorp. The goal is to start producing sustainable methanol in 2025.
If the required funding is granted, Perstorp plans to build the methanol plant in Stenungsund, Sweden. Fortum and Uniper reportedly plan to supply renewable hydrogen from a new electrolysis plant. One of the world’s largest producers of biogas, according to Perstorp, Nature Energy will reportedly seek to supply biogas to Project AIR.
For more information, visit: www.perstorp.com
