• HyLion Network's pilot aims to produce e-methanol in Scotland to decarbonise supply chains across various industries, including the marine sector.
• The facility where the e-methanol will be produced is set to begin operations in 2028.

The HyLion network, along with its partners in Scotland, has zeroed in on the production of CO2-reduced hydrogen, which gets converted into e-methanol, a form of synthetic oil used in reducing carbon emissions.

The network's goal is to decarbonise several industries and their supply chain in Europe, including shipping, aviation, and motorsport, using green fuels like e-methanol. The fuel will be produced using renewable energy sources, making it more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

What are they doing?

They, as part of the pilot, will source carbon dioxide (CO2) from two primary sources: first, biomass; and second, the whisky industry, where CO2 is produced during the fermentation process. One of the partners, E.ON Energy, will supply the network with CO2 from a biomass power plant, and other partners, the Carbon Removers and CO2 Recovery Ltd, capture it from whisky production. The CO2 collected will be liquified and stored for future use.

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The project produces hydrogen from renewable electricity through a process called electrolysis, where an electrolyser will be supplied by McPhy Energy. This hydrogen will be mixed with the stored CO2 to produce e-methanol during a chemical process.

The production process will happen in Scotland, where infrastructure has been developed, including connectivity to local energy supplies and electricity grids. Mareneco Ltd, also a partner, will handle the transportation of the e-methanol, which will be supplied to the marine sector to ports in Scotland like Cairnryan and Grangemouth.

The production facility will likely start operation in 2028, with an initial target of producing 9,000 metric tonnes of hydrogen and 45,000 metric tonnes of e-methanol per year. And, based on the availability of CO2, the project is primed for increased production in the future.

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MHP, a consulting company, will provide strategic and operational advice on this project.

Markus Wambach, Group COO at MHP, said: "As a network of many strong partners, HyLion has the potential to produce e-methanol in Europe for Europe and thus make an important contribution to the decarbonization of global supply chains. With AI applications, supply chains can also be made more efficient across the board.

"And with a transnational supply chain for CO2-reduced hydrogen and e-methanol, the basis can be created for greenhouse gas-reduced solutions in shipping and aviation – and even for motorsport.”

The Scottish Development International has given the "Green Investment Portfolio" status to the HyLion network, which means the project aligns with Scotland's hydrogen strategy and can help promote a greener economy.

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Source: MHP