“It's starting to smell like methanol”

It is clear that development is progressing at European Energy's Kassø PtX. This was stated by project director and CEO of Kassø PtX, Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen, at the event "Green Ports of the Future." Behind the event are Energy Cluster Denmark and Aabenraa Port, who have chosen the meeting room "Udsigten" - located on the port site where the coal-fired Enstedværket once stood. From here, there is literally a view of the green transition with PtX.

Now green e-methanol is on its way to the port, when Kassø PtX will produce the first green methanol with power from half a million solar panels in Northern Europe's largest solar park. Soon, four trucks a week will be driving e-methanol the 12 km from Kassø to the tanks at Aabenraa Port.

- It is starting to smell of methanol now. It's an exciting time, says Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen, who can also tell you that most of the world's methanol today comes from a fossil source:  

- Most methanol today is produced in China with coal.  

The green journey for European Energy 

But now European Energy has started green production of methanol, and it has gone quickly for the pioneering company.  

- We hardly knew anything about PtX four years ago, says Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen, who also makes it clear that scaling is the long-term goal:  

- Now we need to have accumulated experience before we build one or two GW.  

But it is also important that green renewable energy is available. The 300 MW from the solar cells at Kassø is a step on the way, but more is needed in the future.  

- Without green electrons, there will be no more PtX, says Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen and notes:  

- Ideally, we would have liked to have had both solar and wind in Kassø, but now it was time to get started. That has also created interest.  

The sector coupling  

The sector coupling is already underway, because on the 340 hectares of land where the 300 MW solar cells stand, there are also other users.  

- There is biodynamic sheep farming on the land too, says the project director.  

The surplus heat from the PtX plant will heat 3,500 properties at Aabenraa Fjernvarme. But that sector coupling is not a given, reminds Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen.  

- We must remember that five years ago it was forbidden to use surplus heat for district heating, says the project director and elaborates on a particularly good partnership with Aabenraa Fjernvarme:  

- Aabenraa Fjernvarme has a pragmatic approach and an open mindset.  

The good collaboration with Aabenraa Fjernvarme may even be on the way to being expanded already.  

- We are investigating whether we can increase the number of households to which we can supply surplus heat from 3,500 to 10,000. It depends on whether we can make the final part economically, explains Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen.  

It is not the only district heating company with which European Energy has a good collaboration. Last year, European Energy opened Måde PtX on a smaller scale, but here too the sector coupling to district heating is already on the cards.  

- We also have a really good collaboration with DIN Forsyning in Esbjerg regarding surplus heat from Måde. DIN Forsyning really wants to, also because it will revolutionize district heating in Esbjerg with surplus heat, if two GW PtX are installed in Esbjerg as planned, explains Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen.  

¨

Information officer Carl Emil Hansen from European Energy shows the pipeline at
Kassø PtX, where 75 degree hot water flows to Aabenraa District Heating.
Carl Emil Hansen is busy with his presentations, on Tuesday he had already shown four
groups around. On Monday the Belgian ambassador to Denmark had visited.
Photo: Jesper Ernlund Lassen - DOI.dk - Danish Offshore Industry.