ENOWA, NEOM's energy and water supplier, has awarded thyssenkrupp Uhde the contract for the engineering as well as the provision, design and procurement of equipment for a new CO2-to-methanol and methanol-to-gasoline demo plant in the hydrogen innovation and Hydrogen Innovation and Development Center (HIDC) provided by ENOWA in Saudi Arabia.
The plant was jointly developed by ENOWA and Aramco and uses the innovative uhde® process for green methanol production and ExxonMobil's fluidized bed process for converting methanol into gasoline. The plant will produce 12 tons of methanol and 35 barrels of gasoline per day.
“We are proud that NEOM chose thyssenkrupp Uhde as a partner for the plant due to our advanced green uhde® methanol technology and our expertise. This underlines once again that our technology and our know-how act as pioneers for the green transformation,” explains Dr. Cord Landsmann, CEO of thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH.
Use of methanol
Methanol is made from hydrogen and carbon dioxide and can be used as an energy and hydrogen carrier, as a transportation fuel and to store electricity generated from renewable energy sources. It is also used as a climate-friendly raw material in the chemical industry for numerous products, e.g. E.g. plastics, paints and varnishes, building materials, clothing, pharmaceutical products and disinfectants.
“This project is a milestone for climate protection because it is the first reference project for green uhde® methanol technology, which makes renewable fuels and chemicals possible. We are very pleased to bring this innovation to ENOWA and the world, thereby helping to reduce global emissions. And that’s just the beginning,” says Dr. Guido Daniel, Executive Director Operating Unit Petrochemicals & Polymers.
Emission reduction technology
One of the company's key technologies for climate protection is the green uhde® methanol technology for producing methanol from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. By switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and using captured carbon dioxide to produce numerous products, CO2 emissions can be significantly reduced or even avoided entirely. The direct conversion of carbon dioxide into methanol using hydrogen is particularly suitable for this. The innovative, patented process offers the greatest possible efficiency and is suitable for both decentralized small and medium-sized methanol plants as well as central plants for the production of up to several thousand tons of methanol per day.
“We value the technological collaboration with thyssenkrupp Uhde, the company's extensive know-how and technologies, which are important factors in promoting a future green fuel economy. The plant will be an important part of our HIDC and will produce e-methanol and e-gasoline by the end of 2025, which can be used for various applications such as motorsports, off-grid energy and hydrogen transport,” says Roland Kaeppner, Managing Director of Hydrogen and Green Fuels at ENOWA.
