MIT spin-off Emvolon has partnered with Montauk Renewables to develop a commercial-scale pilot project that will convert biogas into green methanol in Texas.
Located at Montauk’s renewable gas production site at a landfill in Humble, the pilot will utilise Emvolon’s patented technology to produce up to 15,300 gallons of green methanol annually.
If the pilot is successful, the partners believe that a full-scale commercial plant could produce up to 2.4 million gallons of green methanol annually.
By repurposing car engines as modular chemical plants, Emvolon’s technology converts methane in biogas onsite into ready-to-use, easy-to-transport liquid green chemicals and fuels, such as green methanol and ammonia.
Dr. Emmanuel Kasseris, CEO of Emvolon, said, “Our technology doesn’t rely on oil pipelines, thereby eliminating scale-up risk, reducing deployment costs by millions, and cutting implementation timelines to months.”
The product can be used in hard-to-abate sectors like maritime and aviation.
For more than three decades, Montauk has specialised in the recovery and processing of biogas from landfills and other non-fossil fuel sources.
The company’s CEO, Sean McClain, added, “Working with Emvolon, we’re excited to leverage our expertise as one of the largest US producers of renewable natural gas and, together, continue to enhance the suite of beneficial use products sourced from biogas, and the economic vitality of these environmental stewardship projects.”
According to the Methanol Institute, methanol produced either from biomass or captured carbon and hydrogen from renewable power, can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from container ships by 60-95% compared with conventional fuels.
The institute further notes that, as of September 2024, there were 178 renewable methanol projects globally, with a total announced anticipated capacity of 18.4 million metric tonnes by 2027 and 29.3 million tonnes (9.8 billion gallons) by 2030.
The total projected capacity of all e-methanol projects is 10.6 million tonnes by 2027 and 17 million tonnes by 2030, while the total capacity of all biomethanol projects is 7.8 million tonnes and 12.3 million tonnes, respectively, during the same periods.
