CRI Delivers World’s Largest E-Methanol Reactor
Carbon Recycling International (CRI) has recently delivered the largest of its kind e-methanol reactor for the Liaoyuan E-Methanol Project in Jilin Province, China. Delivery and successful installation of CRI’s proprietary methanol converter reactor is a major construction milestone. The project continues to progress according to plan toward commissioning and start-up later this year.
The Liaoyuan project is being developed by CRI's client Tianying Group (CNTY) and once commissioned will become the largest e-methanol facilities in operation globally. The first phase has a production capacity of approximately 170,000 tonnes of renewable methanol annually from green hydrogen and captured biogenic carbon dioxide, supporting the growing demand for low-carbon fuels in shipping, chemicals, and other sectors seeking practical and scalable pathways to decarbonization.
The methanol converter reactor forms the core of CRI's proprietary Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL) technology. Designed and supplied by CRI, the reactor is where renewable hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide are converted into renewable methanol through the company's proven industrial-scale process. It has been specifically designed and constructed with operational flexibility as a key feature and represents the third generation of CRI’s e-methanol reactor design.
The successful installation represents a significant construction milestone and marks the transition to the final stages of project execution. Manufacturing, transporting, and installing equipment of this scale requires close coordination between engineering, fabrication, logistics, and construction teams across multiple countries. The successful completion of this milestone reflects the strong collaboration between the project partners, demonstrating continued progress towards plant commissioning.
"The installation of the methanol converter reactor is an important milestone for both Tianying and CRI," said John Milner, Project Manager at Carbon Recycling International. "The reactor is the core of our ETL technology and embodies nearly two decades of innovation, engineering development, and commercial operating experience. Seeing this equipment installed at one of the world's most ambitious renewable energy projects is a proud moment for our team and a major milestone as the Liaoyuan facility advances toward commissioning and start-up."
The Liaoyuan facility builds on CRI's growing track record of successful commercial deployments in China. CRI’s technology is already deployed at commercial scale at the company's reference plants in Anyang and Lianyungang, and the Liaoyuan project represents the next step in the continued deployment of carbon recycling technology to support the production of renewable fuels and chemicals.
Pictured: CRI Project Manager John Milner and Mr. Fu Hui – Methanol Project Director of the Technology Team (CNTY) after successful erection of the e-methanol reactor on site.