In the Netherlands, GIDARA Energy B.V, and OCAP have announced that the Advanced Methanol Amsterdam (AMA) project has been granted support under the national sustainable energy transition subsidy scheme (SDE++) for the capturing, distribution, and utilization of carbon dioxide.
GIDARA Energy is a joint venture between G.I. Dynamics B.V., an independent and international technology partner, and Ara Partners LLC, a US-headed private equity firm specializing in industrial decarbonization investments, and focused on converting non-recyclable waste into syngas, a clean and versatile source of energy and/or chemical building block.
Advanced Methanol Amsterdam (AMA) is the first project being developed by the company. OCAP, a subsidiary of Linde Group dedicated to supplying organic carbon dioxide (CO2) to the horticultural industry, is a strategic partner of AMA.
Together with GIDARA Energy, Linde will develop the capture and production of clean green CO2, which will then be distributed by OCAP to greenhouses.
The ambitions of GIDARA Energy, OCAP, and Advanced Methanol Amsterdam are aligned with European, national, regional, and local government policies regarding CO2 reduction, said Chris Chris van der Zande, VP Strategy & Innovation at GIDARA Energy.
Awarded EUR 110 million
The venture has now been awarded EUR 110 million under the national SDE++ grant scheme.
Implemented by the Dutch Government for the production of renewable energy, under the SDE++ scheme producers receive financial assistance according to the renewable energy they produce and the technology used to produce it.
In this way, the Dutch government ensures that the energy transition in the Netherlands remains feasible and affordable.
Once fully operational, Advanced Methanol Amsterdam will produce approximately 90 000 tonnes of renewable methanol annually by converting 180 000 tonnes of local non-recyclable waste that is currently being incinerated.
During this process, a minimum of 84 000 tonnes of green CO2 will be captured, cleaned up, and distributed to greenhouses by OCAP.
The grant is good news for the entire advanced biofuels industry as it is likely to attract further investments and stimulate the drive towards making the Netherlands a leading nation within the field of renewable energy production, Chris van der Zande said.
Securing the subsidy enables GIDARA Energy and OCAP to provide green CO2 to Dutch horticulture and valorizes their mission to help accelerate sustainable energy production and carbon capturing in the Advanced Methanol Amsterdam facility.
With the combination of green CO2 and renewable heating sources, such as geothermal heating, greenhouses are able to significantly decrease the use of fossil gas commonly used to provide heat and CO2.
Transferring non-recyclable waste into highly usable methanol already is a great contribution to the environment. Going just one step further and capturing the CO2 from this process to re-use it in greenhouses makes this project even better. The close cooperation between AMA and OCAP in combination with the SDE++ subsidy has made his contribution to the environment possible, said Jacob Limbeek, CEO of Linde OCAP.
