Clariant and Ineratec in Gas-to-Liquids Pact
Clariant is collaborating with Ineratec, a spin-off from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), to develop and commercialize novel technologies for producing renewable fuels and chemicals.
The Swiss specialty chemicals group will provide its catalysis expertise and broad portfolio of synthesis gas (syngas) conditioning and upgrading catalysts to support Ineratec’s gas-to-liquids technology.
Stefan Heuser, senior vice president & general manager at Clariant Catalysts, commented: “We are honored to support Ineratec in their pioneering work in sustainable fuel production. Their state-of-the-art container-sized gas-to-liquid technology has great potential for the decentralized fuel market and we are excited to contribute with our tailor-made syngas catalyst innovations.”
The key feature of Ineratec’s technology is that the entire process is achieved in transportable container units. The microstructured core of the modular reactors provides a large surface for heat and mass transport, meaning that highly exothermic reactions, such as methanol synthesis or CO2 hydrogenation, can be operated efficiently and safely in compact, container-sized plants, with “outstanding” reactor productivity.
The technology combines hydrogen generated from renewable power with greenhouse gases such as CO2, to form CO2-neutral synthetic hydrocarbons and fuels. It relies on Clariant’s catalysts, such as MegaMax for renewable methanol or METH 134 for producing renewable synthetic natural gas, to convert the CO2 into chemicals, fuels and additives.
In April, Ineratec announced that it had agreed to use Sasol’s Fischer-Tropsch catalysts, broadening its portfolio and extending its Power-to-X and gas-to-liquids solutions for producing sustainable fuels and products.
