The Methanol Institute recently shared with Manifold Times the renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline March 2025 release produced by GENA Solutions Oy (Green Energy Analytics).

Information from the release is meant to provide the bunkering publication’s readers with insight on renewable methanol availability, and to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

Key takeaways of the March 2025 release are as follows:

• The renewable methanol project pipeline increased from 35.7 Mt in February 2025 to 36.2 Mt in March 2025 (+0.5 Mt). The total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline reached 46.3 Mt.
• As of March 2025, GENA tracks 127 e-methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 20.1 Mt, 88 biomethanol plants and projects with total capacity of 16.1 Mt, and 16 low-carbon methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 10.1 Mt.
• Six projects were added in the March release, including three in Europe and three in China. One project was excluded from the Project Navigator.
• The renewable methanol project pipeline in Europe has reached 10.8 Mt (30% of the global total), including 6.8 Mt of e-methanol and 4 Mt of biomethanol. However, only 3% of projects in Europe have reached FID, while another 13% are in the engineering phase. The lack of off-take agreements is one of the major factors preventing projects from reaching FID. About 87% of all long-term binding off-take agreements in renewable methanol have been signed with suppliers from China.
• Two projects commenced engineering during the past month. Other project advancements include two technology licensing agreements, a non-binding off-take agreement, the start of an EPC tender, site reservation, an investment grant, an ASU outsourcing contract, and more.
• The total after FID renewable methanol capacity, including operational facilities and projects under construction, has reached 3.4 Mt. Additionally, after FID low-carbon methanol capacity stands at 0.5 Mt.
• Renewable methanol capacity by 2030 could reach 7.1 Mt in the Advanced Projects scenario, 13.6 Mt in the Higher Probability Projects scenario, and 3.4 Mt in the After-FID Projects scenario.

Note: The full article can be viewed here.

Photo credits: GENA Solutions
Published: 3 April, 2025

US-based next generation bioenergy company WasteFuel on Monday (10 March) announced a partnership with Turkish integrated waste management company ITC to commence the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) on a green methanol biorefinery located in Ankara, Türkiye—the first green methanol facility in Anatolia and one of the largest of its kind in the world.

The biorefinery, which would adjoin ITC’s existing integrated waste management facility, would utilise biogas derived from anaerobic digestion and landfill gas collection. Once operational, its green methanol will be intended for use as low-carbon fuel for the maritime shipping market.

ITC’s Ankara site is one of the largest integrated waste treatment facilities in Türkiye, receiving over 1.8 million metric tons of municipal waste annually from the Ankara metropolitan area.

“Since our founding, ITC has been passionate about identifying innovative applications for municipal waste treatment that have a positive impact on the communities we serve,” said Yavuz Kantur, General Manager of ITC. “This project is a demonstration of this mindset. We are proud to join the Ankara municipality and WasteFuel in celebrating this milestone.”

“WasteFuel is proud to partner with ITC in Ankara, strengthening our global portfolio of green fuel projects,” David Trench, Chief Executive Officer of WasteFuel, remarked. “Green methanol will be crucial for near-term decarbonization of the shipping industry, and this project will help meet this growing global demand.”

Johan Fritz, Global Project Director at WasteFuel stated, “The strong fundamentals of this project—ITC’s operational excellence in Ankara, a cost-effective build utilising proven technology and proprietary processes, and ongoing support from Turkish government representatives—position this next stage for success.”

A final investment decision is expected in early 2026. If approved, the project would position Türkiye as a hub for sustainable marine fuel supply at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Photo credit: WasteFuel
Published: 13 March, 2025

Singapore-headquartered AET, a MISC subsidiary, and maritime battery developer and manufacturer Fleetzero recently signed an agreement for the development of the world’s longest-range plug-in hybrid-electric vessel. 

Under the agreement, one of AET's Lightering Support Vessels (LSVs) will be retrofitted with a plug-in hybrid-electric system.

The vessel will operate primarily on battery power, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by ~82% when compared to conventional LSVs on a tank-to-wake basis. This is estimated to avoid 1,220 tonnes of greenhouse gases significantly reducing fuel consumption and maintenance costs , while maintaining high safety standards.

The signing ceremony took place at the AET Offshore office in Galveston, Texas, with representatives from both companies present. The agreement was signed by Capt. Ron Wood, AET's Global Director, Commercial, and Mr Steven Henderson, Fleetzero's CEO. 

Zahid Osman, President & Group CEO of MISC Group, said: “By integrating plug-in hybrid electric solutions into our fleet, we are transforming ambition into action to deliver more energy with less emissions. This pilot project also allows us to evaluate the feasibility and operational performance of this technology, paving the way for potential deployment across AET’s and potentially MISC’s fleet.”

Mr Steven Henderson, Co-Founder & CEO of Fleetzero, said: “We are so excited about this project because it promises to advance marine electrification in a commercially viable way, and the impact is immense – drastically reducing emissions from the vessel operations.”

Photo credit: AET and Fleetzero
Published: 11 March, 2025