John Cockerill, Johnson Matthey to work on ETFuels’ e-methanol project in Texas

Green energy company ETFuels has selected technology companies John Cockerill and Johnson Matthey as strategic partners for its 120,000-ton-per-year e-methanol project in Texas, U.S.

John Cockerill will provide 210 MW of its pressurized alkaline electrolyzer units, along with technical services, as the foundation for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase for the green hydrogen facility to be constructed in Texas. Reportedly, this project will benefit from John Cockerill’s local manufacturing and support capabilities.

Johnson Matthey will supply its eMERALD e-methanol technology, along with the eMERALD methanol synthesis catalyst, for the project. This technology also forms the basis of the FEED phase for the fully integrated e-methanol facility.

As disclosed, by 2029, ETFuels will produce 120,000 tons of e-methanol annually from co-located 500 MW high-capacity renewable energy sources together with biogenic CO2 at the planned plant. The financial investment decision (FID) for the project is expected in 2026, with construction scheduled to start by or before 2027. The project is expected to create approximately 500 construction jobs, with more than 50 permanent operating roles upon completion. Total investment is estimated to be over a billion dollars.

ETFuels’ e-methanol is said to unlock multiple pathways for industrial decarbonization. John Cockerill noted that with FuelEU regulation incentivizing early adoption of e-fuels, particularly for shipping, ETFuels’ e-methanol offers a compelling solution, offering a 91% reduction in CO2e relative to conventional fuel. This enables shipping companies to reduce compliance costs by half, trade credits and deliver green transportation services to end customers, John Cockerill added. E-methanol from the plant is expected to result in the avoidance of approximately 200,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Nicolas de Coignac, Group Executive Vice President and President of Hydrogen and Americas at John Cockerill, commented: “Backed by long-standing expertise in the field, worldwide references on large-scale projects and global presence, our Group, which has been active in the energy sector in the United States since 1840, is delighted to join forces with strong partners such as ETFuels for this first major green hydrogen project in America. The scalability of ETFuels’ model makes them a strong partner to accelerate towards robust large-scale green hydrogen projects. We are delighted to work with the team on bringing their first Texas based project to fruition from the start of the journey.”

Alberto Giovanzana, Managing Director of CT Licensing at Johnson Matthey, stated: “e-Methanol is fast emerging as a key gamechanger for decarbonising the global shipping industry in the years ahead. It’s a heavy industry with a large footprint and lower carbon fuels will be vital in reducing its impact. We’re delighted to combine Johnson Matthey’s long-held expertise in emethanol technology with the scale of ambition that ETFuels is bringing to the table.”

Lara Naqushbandi, CEO of ETFuels, remarked: “With stringent FuelEU regulation in place and increasing demands for genuine supply chain decarbonisation, we see a strong business case for scalable, low cost, ultra low emission fuels, particularly for early adopters customers who can benefit both economically and reputationally. To that end, we are really excited to partner with John Cockerill and Johnson Matthey – world-leaders in hydrogen and methanol technologies -as part of the ETFuels integrated project team, to bring these fuels to market at scale. Johnson Matthey brings world-class technology, extensive e-methanol operating experience, and exceptional engineering expertise. John Cockerill provides proven technology and industrial services experience to help the long term performance of the plant.”