Proposed biomethanol plant in California eyes shipping demand

US-based project developer OroCarbo is planning to build a 100 mt/day biomethanol plant in Oroville, California.

IMAGE: Aerial view of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles in southern California, US. Getty Images

Biomethanol is produced using sustainable biomass as a feedstock. Organic biomass is used to produce synthesis gas, which mainly consists of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2), through a process called gasification.

OroCarbo plans to use local forest residues and agricultural waste as feedstock.

It will install two 20-megawatt units from French engineering firm Haffner Energy to generate syngas, which will be integrated with a syngas-to-methanol system supplied by US-based Maverick Synfuels to create a single biomethanol production line.

The resulting biomethanol will be primarily supplied as bunker fuel in California, Haffner Energy said.

The installation is scheduled for commissioning in early 2028, although the companies have not specified when production will begin.

By Konica Bhatt

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