Marubeni's Low-Carbon Emission Methanol Sets the Stage for a Cleaner Future

Tokyo [Japan]: Marubeni Corporation has recently made an agreement with MFE Shanghai Environmental Engineering and Technology Co., Ltd to procure marketing rights for low-Carbon Methanol in Asia (excluding China). The Methanol product is manufactured by Anyang Shunli Environmental Technology Co., Ltd, a company in which MFES has invested and manages the sales operations for it.

In the past few years, multiple industries have been exploring measures to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Among these, Carbon Dioxide Capture and Utilization (CCU) has emerged as a promising method wherein recovered CO2 from exhaust gases can be utilized as raw material for producing chemicals and fuels. Marubeni aims to support GHG reduction efforts by promoting the sale of such CCU-derived products, thereby addressing the rising demand for environment-friendly alternatives.

The technology utilized by the Product enables the production of Methanol from CO2 and Hydrogen at the Shunli plant. Commercial operation of the plant commenced in September 2022. The manufacturing process involves the synthesis of CO2 emitted from a calcium oxide plant near Shunli and Hydrogen extracted from coke oven gas released by a subsidiary plant of Henan Shuncheng Group engaged in coke manufacturing.

A groundbreaking achievement has been made in the world of renewable energy as the first commercially operational plant to synthesize and manufacture Methanol solely from CO2 and Hydrogen has been established. The plant can produce a whopping 110,000 tons of the Product annually, setting a precedent for large-scale Methanol production. The process used at the plant doesn't rely on natural gas or coal, but instead produces Methanol that absorbs and uses more CO2 than it emits during production, making it an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional Methanol production methods.

Marubeni, a product-focused company, has taken initiative to establish a circular economy that will result in a decline in CO2 emissions. To achieve this goal, the company will promote the sale of eco-friendly Methanol for use in fuels and chemicals. This type of Methanol is known as Circular Methanol, owing to its unique Emission to Liquids technology that recycles CO2 and Hydrogen from exhaust gas, setting it apart from traditional Methanol produced from fossil fuels. Additionally, MFES - an Icelandic company that possesses the Methanol production technology - has invested in this project.