The M²ARE project is dedicated to the decarbonization of the maritime sector by facilitating a shift from traditional fossil fuels to renewable methanol using a highly efficient, next-generation process. By considering the holistic maritime methanol value chain, the GEN2 process offers an integrated and streamlined approach to producing tailor-made Maritime Methanol. The sustainable production method utilizes biogenic CO₂ and renewable hydrogen (H₂) as its primary feedstocks.

Introduction to the main drivers of M²ARE commitment

According to IMO (International Maritime Organisation) shipping emissions in global anthropogenic emissions were affected by a small increase from 2.76 % in 2012 to 2.89 % in 2018. Across the same period, international shipping under a new voyage-based allocation is responsible for CO₂ emissions increase of 5.6 %, from 701 million tonnes (2012) to 740 million tonnes (2018).

The M²ARE project takes over at this precise point to exploit CO₂ previously stored in the biomass from the atmosphere and captured at different emission points (biogas plants, bioethanol plants, biomass power plants, food & beverage plants and pulp & paper plants), incorporating it as biogenic CO₂ into the methanol production process together with H₂ coming from renewable energy sources and closing the circle.

Variety of feedstocks and catalyst challenge

Utilizing bio-CO₂ presents a significant technological challenge due to the diverse nature of its sources. Although they share certain similarities, each source offers unique difficulties that necessitate custom technical solutions. The most promising bio-CO₂ sources for methanol synthesis include:

1. Pulp & Paper and Biomass Power Plants: CO₂ emissions from these facilities typically arise from biomass incineration. While their status as large point sources makes them attractive candidates, they are challenged by low CO₂ concentrations and various impurities within the CO₂ streams;
2. Biogas Plants: the decentralized nature of biogas plants requires substantial effort for CO₂ collection and transportation. Furthermore, seasonal variations in feedstock can alter potential impurities, thereby increasing the complexity of carbon capture processes;
3. Bio-ethanol & Food/Beverage Plants: these sources offer high-purity CO₂ (99 – 100%) but are generally smaller in scale. Additionally, they can be subject to seasonal availability.

Within M²ARE, a detailed mapping of bio-CO₂ sources within Europe highlighted the main challenges and opportunities of promising bio-CO₂ sources. In addition, analysis of CO₂ streams at relevant industrial sites identifies key impurities in the streams that could harm the lifetime and performance of the methanol synthesis catalyst.

M²ARE methanol synthesis pilot plant, an overview of the functioning principles

The Air Liquide Innovation Campus Frankfurt hosts a pilot plant originally constructed during the “i3upgrade[1]” project, which focused on utilizing steel industry exhaust gases. Currently, the pilot is being utilized within the M²ARE project to optimize the conversion of CO₂ into methanol. This pilot plant utilizes an innovative multi-stage methanol synthesis concept that incorporates interstage condensation and product removal to shift the reaction equilibrium toward higher yields.

To demonstrate the production of specialized Maritime Methanol, a new distillation column for crude methanol was constructed and integrated with the existing synthesis unit (Figure 2). This continuous-operation pilot plant effectively separates water from the methanol produced during synthesis. The distillation column can process up to 20 kg/h of crude methanol into various grades of Maritime Methanol. Its flexible design allows the water content in the final product to be adjusted between 0.05 and over 20 wt.%. This setup can now serve to identify ideal operating parameters and validate the simplified purification for Maritime Methanol process.

[1] The i3upgrade project has received funding from the Research Fund for Coal and Steel under Grant Agreement No 800659.

Closing the loop:
The logistics

M²ARE is evaluating the CO₂ transport infrastructure. Whether via liquefied CO₂ carriers (maritime shipping) or high-pressure pipelines, the phase behavior of CO₂ must be carefully managed to prevent dry-ice formation or pipeline corrosion, especially when impurities are present.

Finding the right balance

Air Liquide’s tailor-made Maritime Methanol is currently being evaluated in test engines by project partner Everllence. Together, M²ARE seeks to establish a comprehensive process for producing affordable methanol, facilitated, among others, by the simplified purification. At the same time it is curial to maintain a high performance of the marine engines. The M²ARE project aims on achieving the technological robustness necessary to establish Maritime Methanol as a bankable and sustainable solution for the international shipping industry by the 2035 and 2050 targets.