UK-headed Johnson Matthey plc (JM), a global leader in sustainable technologies, has announced that it has been selected by US-headed Highly Innovative Fuels Global LLC (HIF Global), a holding company of internationally active project developers of electro-fuel (eFuel) production facilities, as the methanol licensor for the HIF Paysandú eFuels project in Uruguay.
The HIF Paysandú eFuels facility would be the largest e-methanol plant in South America. It will use electrolytic (green) hydrogen and waste carbon dioxide (CO2) from an ethanol plant to produce e-methanol.
HIF Global will invest US$4 billion in the facility, making it the most significant investment in Uruguay’s history.
HIF Paysandú has an expected annual production capacity of 700,000 tonnes of e-methanol. This will be utilized to support the rapidly growing demand from the marine market, as well as a feedstock to produce e-gasoline (via methanol to gasoline process) which will facilitate the decarbonization of road transportation.
Construction of the plant is planned for 2025 and is expected to create approximately 1,500 jobs during construction with an additional 300 permanent operational positions.
Proven technology
JM’s e-methanol eMERALD technology has been proven as a credible route to decarbonize methanol production and this technology will be deployed at the HIF Paysandú eFuels facility.
This collaboration builds on the successful demonstration of the eMERALD technology in the HIF Haru Oni eFuels facility, where JM licenses its technology and supplies the catalyst.
The demo plant has successfully operated for over 12 months, producing e-methanol that is further processed into e-gasoline.
The market for sustainable methanol fuels is growing rapidly and presents an important solution to decarbonize the shipping, road transport, and other industries. As the world’s leading methanol synthesis technology and catalyst supplier, JM has a great wealth of experience working in the methanol industry. We look forward to continuing our partnership with HIF to provide our e-methanol technology for this exciting project, said Alberto Giovanzana, Managing Director – CT Licensing at Johnson Matthey.
Additionally, HIF Global has announced other planned eFuels projects to be built in the US, Tasmania, and Chile. JM is already working with HIF Global to support the development of these projects.
eFuels are a replacement for fossil fuels and are a necessary solution for decarbonizing global transport. We have already demonstrated the capability to produce eFuels with green hydrogen and recycled CO2, using Johnson Matthey’s technology at our Haru Oni eFuels facility in southern Chile. Expanding our collaboration with Johnson Matthey represents the importance of long-term relationships to HIF and to achieve our common goals, said Victor Turpaud, CEO at HIF Latam.
