Vinyls producer Inovyn, wholly owned by Ineos, is taking part in a project to produce sustainable methanol in Antwerp, Belgium.

The company is one of seven other firms investigating options in the ‘Power to Methanol’ project, which aims to produce methanol from captured CO₂ combined with hydrogen generated from renewable electricity. Methanol is currently produced from fossil-based raw materials, which emit CO₂ from the process.

Subject to the successful outcome of the study, an 8,000 t/y industrial-scale demonstration plant will be built at Inovyn’s site in Lillo. The facility, said Inovyn, would be the first of its kind for Belgium, with the methanol output being used by chemical companies in the port of Antwerp cluster. It would save at least 8,000 t/y of CO₂ emissions, the company added.

“This is a very exciting project and an excellent fit with our sustainability strategy, which includes pursuing options for alternative energy and the sustainable, lower carbon production of chemicals,” said Inovyn CEO Geir Tuft, adding that the company will be contributing its expertise in hydrogen production and electrolysis to the project.

The other consortium members are Engie, Oiltanking, Indaver, Fluxys, the Flemish Environmental Holding Company (Vlaamse Milieu Holding) and Port of Antwerp.