GEORGE OLAH
RENEWABLE METHANOL PLANT: FIRST PRODUCTION OF FUEL FROM CO₂ AT INDUSTRIAL SCALE
The George Olah Renewable Methanol plant was the first-of-kind facility constructed in 2010-2012 in Svartsengi, Iceland. Its construction followed years of development which included the construction of a lab scale pilot, catalyst testing, chemical synthesis condition studies and fund-raising. Its construction marked a significant milestone in the field of carbon capture and utilization as it was the first industrial scale production facility ever built which utilized carbon dioxide waste gas as a resource for methanol production. Four years later, due to the modular design of the plant and inherent scalability of the technology, production capacity was scaled from 1300 to 4000 tons per year which translates into recycling of 5500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The production unit was developed to convert carbon dioxide from flue gas released by an adjacent geothermal power plant, borrowing the carbon dioxide molecule which otherwise would have been released into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide is purified to make it suitable for downstream methanol synthesis. Following adequate compression, synthesis gas containing hydrogen generated by electrolysis of water and carbon dioxide are catalytically reacted to form methanol. Purification and water removal is done by distillation in the last process module using geothermal steam.
The production process creates no toxic by-products as the sole chemical released is oxygen following the electrolysis process and treated water from distillation. An independent audit performed by SGS Germany using a protocol established by ISCC certified that the plant production can achieve 80-90% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to the use of a comparable amount of fossil fuels.
The George Olah renewable methanol plant or GO plant was named so in honor of the late Nobel Prize winner George A. Olah who was instrumental in promoting methanol as an alternative energy carrier. The plant successfully demonstrated in an a real industrial setting the technical, economic and environmental benefits associated with adapting CRI’s Emissions-to-Liquids technology. Through the operation of the plant, Carbon Recycling International has gained unique experience and know how inaccessible to any other technology provider. This experience has allowed the company to create a standard modular plant design with a larger production capacity, up-scaling the solution and optimize the production process to be applicable to the needs of diverse industries.
Key facts
Located at the Geothermal Resource Park in Svartsengi, Iceland
World’s first industrial scale production of fuel from CO₂
World’s first power-to-liquids output to receive a recognized certification for carbon intensity and sustainability (ISCC Plus)
World’s first power-to-liquids facility to implement large-scale electrolysis
Utilisation of CO₂ from a geothermal powerplant
Methanol produced reduces CO₂ by up to 90% compared to gasoline or diesel
Commissioned in 2012
No toxic by-products
Small land-footprint, requires no arable land or agricultural resources
