Elyse Energy plans new e-methanol plant to meet growing maritime demand

French e-fuels firm Elyse Energy will set up a 150,000 mt/year e-methanol production plant on the Les Roches–Roussillon Chemical Platform in France.PHOTO: Roches–Roussillon Chemical Platform in France, managed by OSIRIS Economic Interest Group. Eclaira

Part of the 150,000 mt/year capacity will be earmarked for the shipping sector to meet the “growing demand from major players in the maritime sector for ships running on methanol,” Elyse Energy said.

E-methanol, or synthetic methanol, is produced using 100% biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) and green hydrogen. The biogenic CO2 is typically captured through either bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) or through direct air capture (DAC). E-methanol produced by this method is virtually free of greenhouse gases and can cut a vessel's CO2 emissions by 95% compared to conventional marine fuels on a well-to-wake basis.

In this case, 150,000 mt/year of e-methanol requires around 29,000 mt/year of hydrogen and 213,000 mt/year of captured CO2, Elyse Energy said.

Electrolysers to produce green hydrogen will be installed alongside the plant and connected to the Gampaloup electrical substation for power. “The electrolyser will be powered by low-carbon electricity,” Elyse Energy claimed. CO2 will be captured from industrial emissions at the Lafarge du Teil cement factory.

The plant will be built on the Les Roches–Roussillon Chemical Platform, managed by OSIRIS Economic Interest Group (EIG), which is located between Lyon and Valence in France. Construction is expected to start in 2025, and the commissioning is planned for early 2028.

The project, called eM-Rhône, has received €700 million ($744 million) in funding from the European Commission’s Innovation Fund. It falls under the eM-France initiative, which aims to produce 500,000 mt/year of e-methanol in France, according to Elyse Energy.

By Konica Bhatt

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