Shipping’s first dedicated drop of e-methanol produced in Denmark

Danish methanol producer European Energy (EE) has produced the first e-methanol batch at its Kassø plant.

PHOTO: Technician holds the first batch of e-methanol produced at European Energy's Kassø facility in Denmark. European Energy

European Energy has produced around 5 mt of "raw” e-methanol from green hydrogen and biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) using solar power at its facility in Kassø, Denmark.

Raw, or unrefined methanol, refers to methanol that has not yet undergone purification to remove impurities such as water, unreacted feedstock or other byproducts. It typically requires further distillation or treatment to meet specific quality standards required for commercial use.

The green hydrogen was produced at European Energy's Måde facility by the Port Esbjerg, while the biogenic CO2 was locally sourced from a biogas facility in Tønder.

According to the company’s website, its e-methanol output is expected to ramp up to 42,000 mt/year by the second quarter of this year.

Only six e-methanol facilities are currently operational worldwide, according to the Methanol Institute. None of these have earmarked any output specifically for the marine sector.

This makes European Energy’s plant a milestone in e-methanol produced specifically for shipping as one of the outlets. The company signed an offtake agreement with Danish shipping major A.P. Moller-Maersk in August 2021 to supply a portion of Kassø plant’s capacity to fuel Maersk’s methanol-capable ship. Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and toymaker Lego are other offtakers.

By Konica Bhatt

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