Circular value chain – Glocal Green

The world’s cleanest circular value chain

We ensure sustainability at both ends of the value chain by producing climate-neutral methanol based on the green CO2 cycle. This in turn helps to replace fossil methanol in the chemical industries and fossil fuels for ships and vehicles. We are now establishing our first production facility in Norway.

Zero emissions = zero fossil emissions

The green CO₂ cycle comprises renewable and sustainable energy which permits coal, oil and gas to be phased out.

Our solution – green biomethanol

We produce biomethanol based on biowaste and residual raw materials from industry.
Biomethanol can be used as a fuel for internal combustion engines and as a hydrogen carrier in fuel cells.
A fully circular value chain right up to the consumption stage – and an energy-efficiency winner.

Redefining the value of residues

Our concept opens the way to establishing financially sustainable product flows for biowaste and residual raw materials – from forestry, agriculture, aquaculture and other biowaste handling.
An energy-optimal production technology permits conversion of these substantial green resources into high-value energy and materials.
Avoiding biodegradation in nature also prevents the formation and release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Climate-neutral biomethanol based on sustainable biomass

We produce biomethanol by utilising residual raw materials such as logging residues and/or other industrial waste not good enough to be used in commercial products. Our first concept phase will concentrate on tops, branches and other residues from logging, sawmill waste, demolition wood and, eventually, fish-farming sludge, agricultural waste and other biomass which would otherwise be discarded or left to rot.

Vast unutilised resource base

Residual raw materials from sustainable forest management provide a big resource base for our concept.

Annual tree growth in Norwegian forests is currently 200% of the cutting rate.

Rotting increases emissions

Leaving logging residues (tops and branches) in clearcut areas to rot down wastes an important green resource and increases the risk of releasing methane (CH₄).

The latter is up to 84 times more potent than CO₂ as a contributor to climate change.

Exploiting logging residues would facilitate increased replanting and help to improve the economics of Norway’s forest industry.

Revitalisation and improved profitability

Our customised concept for utilising residual biomaterials offers a revitalisation of the forest industry in terms of resources, the environment and economics.

Optimising for photosynthesis

Removing tops and branches from clearcut areas will facilitate greater replanting. Through photosynthesis, that would in turn enhance total forest biomass and ability to absorb CO₂.

Our concept provides a twofold environmental effect – utilising residual renewable raw materials in place of fossil products, while enhancing nature’s ability to slow down the pace of global warming.

Green circular value chain

Biomethanol from sustainable sources provides a carbon-neutral chemical input factor or energy carrier – which can be utilised in both the materials and energy systems.

Renewable residuals

Exploiting renewable residual raw materials from wood and other biomass reduces natural biodegradation and emissions of methane and CO₂.

This would increase forest absorption of CO₂ and thereby nature’s own ability to slow down global warming. The financial and biological sustainability of the forest industry would also improve.

From logging residues and other biomass to synthesis gas

This is a self-fuelled process which exploits the energy in the biomass.

High working temperatures generate steam for gasification and thermal energy for a pyrolysis process in the preheating stage, creating a very energy-efficient and environment-friendly solution.

Methanol production

We will more than double methanol output by adding an electrolysis unit based on hydropower.

Distribution, storage and refuelling

Methanol is very easy to handle, using virtually the same procedures and technology as diesel oil and petrol.

An existing worldwide energy infrastructure will ensure supplies of biomethanol to the transport sector and the chemical industry.

We are establishing the first production unit in Norway

We see both a clear market need and a resource base for more production units in Norway and internationally.

These would involve a resource-efficient concept based on hybridisation of known technologies, with an envisaged annual methanol output of about 100 000 tonnes per unit.

Fully green input factors, including short-travelled electricity.
Zero-emission production.
Unbeatable energy efficiency.
Work for emission-free logistics, both inbound and outbound, by using our own biomethanol as the energy carrier.

The fully green system

Our ambition is to establish a circular carbon economy by combining and scaling existing technological solutions to produce and distribute green biomethanol – on a large scale – in existing markets.

All this will align with our vision of a local solution for a global challenge – decentralised production of both short-travelled raw materials and finished products.