Joensuu methanol production plant granted environmental permit
The Regional State Administrative Agency for Eastern Finland has granted an environmental permit to P2X Solutions for its synthetic methanol production plant. The new plant will be located next to the Savon Voima power plant in the Kontiosuo industrial area in Joensuu.
P2X Solutions Oy's plant produces green hydrogen through water electrolysis and renewable energy, with oxygen and heat as by-products. Methanol is produced from carbon dioxide recovered from the flue gases of Savon Voima Oyj and Joensuu Biocoal Oy through a reaction between carbon dioxide and hydrogen, which is accelerated and controlled by a catalyst. Most of the hydrogen is further processed in a methanol synthesis unit into synthetic methanol with an annual production capacity of 33,000 tons. A small portion of the hydrogen is supplied for other industrial uses. The methanol is mainly supplied as fuel for shipping. The plant's process equipment is cooled with cooling water obtained from Savon Voima and returned there. The plant's processes generate a total of approximately 145 GWh/a of heat for the district heating network.
In addition to hydrogen electrolysis and methanol synthesis, the plant's operations include carbon dioxide capture, carbon dioxide liquefaction, hydrogen pressurisation into containers, a hydrogen container loading station, a methanol loading station, heat recovery, a combustion device for methanol synthesis exhaust gases, water purification equipment and a flare as a backup system for exceptional situations.
Wastewater generated in the production process must be conveyed to a wastewater treatment plant for treatment in accordance with the industrial wastewater agreement and, if necessary, pre-treated. The decision stipulates that the quality and quantity of waste and storm water, noise, emissions into the air and, if necessary, groundwater in the area must be monitored.
