Methanol Institute welcomes Axpo as newest member

March 20, 2025, by Aida Čučuk

Trade association Methanol Institute (MI) has welcomed Axpo Group, a Switzerland-based renewable energy producer, as its newest member.

Axpo brings “valuable expertise” to the conversation on methanol’s role in a cleaner energy future, the association said, adding that it looks forward to working together to advance methanol as a key player in decarbonization and sustainable energy solutions.

As informed, Axpo is active in more than 30 locations across Europe, North America and Asia. The group, reportedly, has a vast renewable energy portfolio and is committed to sustainability.

Its most recent activities include a first-time liquefied natural gas (LNG) delivery to a container vessel owned by shipping titan Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) at the Port of Málaga, Spain, and the first bioLNG bunkering operations at the two Spanish major Enagás’ terminals in Huelva and Barcelona.

Spain is said to represent a “particularly significant” market for Axpo, which plans to expand its services to other major ports in the country, like Algeciras, Valencia and Barcelona.

It is also worth mentioning that, in late 2024, Axpo and its partners Schätzle, EWA-Energie Uri and SGV Holding broke ground on the site of a new hydrogen production plant to be constructed by H2Uri, a company in which all four partners are shareholders.

According to Axpo, from 2026, the hydrogen from the plant will fuel SGV’s hydrogen passenger vessel Saphir on Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, as well as other applications. Schätzle, which operates an Avia hydrogen refueling station in central Switzerland, will also purchase green hydrogen produced by the plant.

As Switzerland adopts national hydrogen strategy, Axpo and partners launch new production plant

To note, in the past year, Methanol Institute welcomed several new members. Furthermore, together with ECSA, FuelsEurope, eFuel Alliance, EWAB and HydrogenEurope, it established a new Clean Maritime Fuels Platform, an industry initiative aiming to enhance communication between the shipping sector and fuel producers.

In addition, the association was granted consultative status by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), allowing it to contribute its expertise to the development of shipping regulations.