NTPC (formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation), one of India’s largest power generation company has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tecnimont, the Indian Subsidiary of Maire Tecnimont Group, Italy.
The partners will jointly evaluate and explore the possibility to develop commercial scale Green Methanol Production facility at NTPC project in India.
The green methanol project involves capturing carbon from NTPC power plants and converting it into a green fuel. The green methanol has a wide range of applications, including serving as a base material for the chemical industry, storing renewable electricity, and even as a transportation fuel. It is also considered as a substitute fuel for maritime fuel applications.
Why is this important?
Green methanol is a low-carbon fuel that can be made from either biomass gasification or renewable electricity and captured carbon dioxide (CO2).
For the automotive industry, Methanol can be blended with gasoline in low-quantities and used in existing road vehicles, or it can be used in high-proportion blends such as M85 in flex-fuel vehicles or M100 in dedicated methanol-fuelled vehicles as a substitute for gasoline or diesel.
The key benefits for using methanol as a fuel include – low-emission fuel, can be made from variety of sources thus help reduce import, is high octane, economical, is accessible globally and is used in the automotive industry.
C.K Mondal, Director (Commercial), NTPC commented that this project along with NTPCs under execution Pilot scale Green Methanol project aligns with its commitment to sustainability and renewable energy, and will significantly contribute to India’s energy transition.
