Swedish power-to-liquids (PtL) developer Liquid Wind has announced that municipal energy utility Övik Energi AB is partnering with the company to provide carbon dioxide (CO2) and the location for Sweden's first commercial-scale electro-fuel (e-fuel) facility. Biogenic CO2 emissions from a biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) facility will be captured and combined with renewable hydrogen to produce methanol.
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Liquid Wind plans to develop, build, and manage eFuel facilities to meet the growing demand for liquid renewable fuels. Through the partnership with Övik Energi, Liquid Wind has secured the site and carbon dioxide (CO2) source for its first facility, also known as FlagshipONE.
The proposed site is located in Örnsköldsvik, on the northeast coast of Sweden, where Liquid Wind will also have access to the low-cost renewable electricity needed to produce the fuel. Once operational, the e-fuel facility will upcycle 70 000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 into 50 000 tonnes of carbon-neutral methanol.
Having the opportunity to be among the first in the world to capture and use biogenic carbon dioxide to produce electro-fuel is very exciting. This development opportunity strengthens our role as an energy supplier, enabling us to become more energy efficient in our production as well as reducing our carbon emissions. said Kristina Säfsten, CEO, Övik Energi.
Start of engineering and permitting phase
The two companies will now work closely to efficiently integrate their operations. Liquid Wind’s facility is planned to be constructed on the site of Övik Energi’s Hörneborg CHP plant, minimizing the distance of transportation for shared resources.
The two facilities will also exchange steam and waste heat to maximise energy efficiency.
As previously announced, Liquid Wind has a strong consortium that will supply technology and expertise for the production of methanol. Together they will plan the technology integration and design the facility, in close collaboration with Övik Energi.
We are delighted to be collaborating with Övik Energi. There are many synergies between our two companies which will be very valuable. It is also exciting to have secured the site for our first facility, bringing us closer to delivering carbon-neutral fuel to market, commented Claes Fredriksson, CEO, Liquid Wind.
Could be operational in 2024
Using efficient carbon capture technology and solvents, Liquid Wind will capture and concentrate CO2 from Övik Energi’s emissions. In the Liquid Wind facility, green hydrogen will be produced from renewable electricity and water.
This hydrogen will then be combined with the captured CO2 in a reactor to form methanol. The methanol, branded as eMethanol, is expected to be used as a renewable marine fuel, and Liquid Wind is in “advanced discussions” with a leading shipping company that plans to use it to fuel a new vessel.
The total investment for the project is approximately SEK 1.5 billion (≈ EUR 145.84 million) and the goal is to make the investment decision in early 2022, subject to permitting and other relevant approvals.
With a construction time of approximately two years, Sweden’s first eMethanol could be available from early 2024, just in time for the new vessel to be operational.