Aramco and ENOWA, NEOM’s energy and water company, have signed a joint development agreement to construct and establish a first-of-its-kind synthetic electro-fuel (e-fuel) demonstration plant.
It will be in ENOWA’s Hydrogen Innovation and Development Center (HIDC) and aims to demonstrate technical feasibility and commercial viability by producing 35 barrels per day (bbl/d) of low-carbon, synthetic gasoline from renewable-based hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide (CO2). The e-fuel technology, built on a circular carbon economy approach, has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by over 70% on a complete life cycle basis compared to conventional fuels.
Once complete, the integrated facility will generate 12 tons of synthetic methanol per day from green hydrogen and CO2 using proprietary technologies developed by ThyssenKrupp Uhde. The synthetic methanol will then be converted into low-carbon gasoline using ExxonMobil’s Fluidized-Bed Methanol-to-Gasoline (MtG) technology.
The HIDC will also produce green hydrogen by leveraging an on-site 20-megawatt electrolyzer powered by renewable energy sources. The innovation center being created by ENOWA will showcase the region’s vast potential to generate and use wind and solar power commercially, as Aramco stated in a press release.
“Synthetic fuels can play an important role in accelerating the decarbonization of the global vehicle fleet. We are excited to be working alongside our partners to demonstrate a potential path towards realizing this vision,” said Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter, Aramco Executive Vice President of Technology & Innovation.
“This partnership represents another significant milestone for ENOWA. As Saudi Arabia cements its global leadership role in a circular carbon economy driven by green hydrogen, we have an unprecedented opportunity to showcase the transformative capabilities of pioneering, sustainable technologies. ENOWA is looking forward to collaborating with Aramco in the development of a state-of-the-art facility for e-fuels in NEOM, which will drive innovation and promote the economic implementation of future clean energy supplies,” said Peter Terium, ENOWA Chief Executive Officer.
“The project is a concrete example of the circular carbon economy in action and an example of ENOWA’s commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia’s mission to rapidly scale climate action by championing scientific innovation. As one of the first anchor tenants of the HIDC, the facility is a strong demonstration of our shared ambition with Aramco to deliver front-running projects that continue to innovate on the latest technologies,” Terium added.
Aramco has been exploring technologies for low-carbon synthetic fuels for several years. The demonstration plant at NEOM is the result of intensive research and development efforts aimed at optimizing the production of synthetic fuels. Similarly, ENOWA sees e-fuels as a critical future portfolio element of a circular carbon economy, helping to reduce emissions and validating next-generation green fuel technologies for future large-scale projects.
