Waste-to-methanol facility to be constructed at Port of Amsterdam

GIDARA Energy

GIDARA Energy has announced that it will construct an advanced biofuels facility in Amsterdam that will convert waste into methanol.

The facility, known as Advanced Methanol Amsterdam (AMA), will convert non-recyclable waste into methanol which will be used for fuel blending. It will also produce green CO₂ as a byproduct which will be used for greenhouses, and a solid residue that can be used in cement filling.

AMA will use High Temperature Winkler (HTW) gasification technology – originally developed by RWE and Thyssenkrupp – which GIDARA Energy acquired in 2019 to further develop for bio-centric applications. It will use the same size and configuration that was used in previous HTW facilities. The process aims for near zero emissions by minimising waste in the entire value chain.

AMA will be built in the BioPark in the Port of Amsterdam, which is an industrial region developed for producers of renewable fuels. Along with the commercial-scale methanol plant, AMA will also have a testing facility and pilot plant. This is part of GIDARA Energy’s goal to develop better sustainable fuels.

The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2023. It will produce 87,500 t/y of methanol from 17,500 t/y of non-recyclable waste.

Wim van der Zande, CEO at GIDARA Energy, said that as this is a proven gasification process for this application, the major process and technology risks are eliminated for this facility. He added that the company aims to use the same plant configuration for future facilities in The Netherlands, Europe, and North America.

Roon van Maanen, Director Energy & Circular Industry at Port of Amsterdam, said: “As part of the energy transition, Port of Amsterdam is working towards more sustainable sources of fuel and achieving overall lower emissions and maximising recycling. The AMA initiative is a bridge between waste handling and the renewable fuel industry. It is a flagship project to bring us closer in achieving our sustainability objectives.”