The Kassø e-methanol facility in Aabenraa, Denmark, has been officially inaugurated and is now operational, according to European Energy's release.
The plant, developed by European Energy and operated in partnership with Mitsui & Co., is owned by Solar Park Kassø ApS under Kassø MidCo ApS, with European Energy A/S holding a 51% stake and Mitsui & Co. 49%.
With an annual production capacity of 42,000 tonnes, the Kassø facility is the first globally to produce e-methanol at commercial scale, using only renewable energy.
The facility integrates power from the adjacent 304 MW Kassø Solar Park with carbon capture and utilisation technology, combining biogenic CO₂ and green hydrogen to produce e-methanol with up to 97% lower carbon emissions compared to fossil methanol.
Key offtakers include A.P. Moller – Maersk, which will use the e-methanol to fuel the Laura Mærsk, the world’s first methanol-powered container vessel.
E-methanol from the Kassø facility will also be used by the LEGO Group and Novo Nordisk to replace fossil methanol in select production processes.
The project supports direct decarbonisation efforts in sectors considered difficult to electrify, including maritime shipping and industrial manufacturing.
According to Rabab Raafat Boulos, Executive Vice President at A.P. Moller – Maersk, “We are excited to receive the first e-methanol from the Kassø facility, marking an important milestone in our global efforts to source alternative fuels for our vessel fleet.”
Knud Erik Andersen, CEO of European Energy, stated, “The start of operations at Kassø marks a major step forward in bringing Power-to-X technologies into real-world use.”
Takashi Furutani, Senior Executive Managing Officer at Mitsui & Co., said, “Kassø exemplifies the importance of international collaboration in scaling low-emission solutions.”
European Energy is a renewable energy company based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 2004, the company develops, finances, constructs, and operates wind, solar, and Power-to-X projects. It operates in 25 countries and has a project development pipeline exceeding 65 GW.
Mitsui & Co. is a global trading and investment company headquartered in Japan.
Maersk is a global logistics and shipping company based in Denmark. It operates in more than 130 countries and employs around 100,000 people.