In Denmark renewable energy major European Power A/S has held the official inauguration of the Kassø e-methanol facility in Aabenraa, which is now supplying e-methanol to offtakers.
Developed by European Energy and operated in collaboration with Mitsui & Co. Ltd, the facility is owned by Solar Park Kassø ApS under Kassø MidCo ApS, with European Energy A/S holding a 51 percent stake and Mitsui & Co. 49 percent.
The Kassø e-methanol facility is supplying e-methanol to industry leaders, including A.P. Moller – Maersk, the LEGO Group, and Novo Nordisk – all companies with a shared ambition to adopt lower-carbon solutions.
The Kassø facility is the first of its kind globally to produce e-methanol at commercial scale. The plant has an annual production capacity of 42,000 tonnes and operates entirely on renewable energy sources.
Situated next to Northern Europe’s largest solar park—the 304 MW Kassø Solar Park—the facility integrates large-scale renewable power generation with carbon capture and utilization (CCU).
By combining biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) with green hydrogen produced on-site, the Kassø e-methanol facility manufactures e-methanol with up to a 97 percent reduced carbon footprint compared to fossil-based products.
The start of operations at Kassø marks a major step forward in bringing Power-to-X technologies into real-world use. This is renewable energy in action, transforming how we use electricity, said Knud Erik Andersen, CEO of European Energy.
E-methanol for shipping
The project is designed to support the direct decarbonisation of sectors that are otherwise difficult to electrify. A.P. Moller – Maersk will use e-methanol produced at Kassø to fuel Laura Mærsk, the world’s first container vessel capable of operating on methanol.
We are excited to receive the first e-methanol from the Kassø facility, marking an important milestone in our global efforts to source alternative fuels for our vessel fleet. The future of shipping must include multiple fuel types operating alongside each other, with methanol playing a key role in the industry’s net-zero ambitions, Rabab Raafat Boulos, EVP and Chief Operating Officer at A.P. Moller – Maersk.
Displace fossil methanol in manufacturing
E-methanol from the facility in Aabenraa will also be used in industrial processes where fossil-based methanol has traditionally been standard.
One such application is in plastics, where manufacturers aim to adopt more sustainable materials while maintaining safety and quality standards.
The LEGO Group and Novo Nordisk are also offtakers of e-methanol from Kassø, using it to replace fossil methanol in the production of selected products.
Sourcing renewable e-methanol is part of our ambition to make LEGO products more sustainable and reduce carbon emissions. Later this year, we will use the material to produce select LEGO elements, such as cross axles and connectors, while maintaining our high standards of safety, durability, and quality. This partnership is a powerful example of how collaboration and innovation across industries can accelerate meaningful progress, said Carsten Rasmussen, Chief Operations Officer at the LEGO Group.
This partnership enables us to take practical steps in decarbonising our supply chain and reducing the environmental impact of our products, remarked Dorethe Nielsen, VP Corporate Environmental Strategy, Novo Nordisk.
Powerful collaboration
Mitsui & Co. has contributed strategic expertise and global reach to support the facility’s long-term development and operation.
The collaboration between European Energy and Mitsui reflects a shared ambition to accelerate commercial pathways for Power-to-X technologies and expand the use of low-emission alternatives in hard-to-abate sectors globally.
We are honoured to play a pivotal role in advancing this pioneering project, which fosters integrated approaches across product value chains as part of our Global Energy Transition strategy. Kassø exemplifies the importance of international collaboration in scaling low-emission solutions, said Takashi Furutani, Senior Executive Managing Officer at Mitsui & Co.
