Saudi Crown Prince Meets with World Bank President on Sidelines of FII Forum

Saudi Crown Prince Meets with World Bank President on Sidelines of FII Forum

Aramco, ENOWA to Develop First-of-its-kind E-fuel Demonstration Plant

Saudi Aramco, a global integrated energy and chemicals company, 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.

The plant will be located in ENOWA’s Hydrogen Innovation and Development Center (HIDC) and aims to demonstrate technical feasibility and commercial viability by producing 35 barrels per day of low-carbon, synthetic gasoline from renewable-based hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide (CO2), according to Aramco press release.

The e-fuel technology, built on a circular carbon economy approach, has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by over 70 percent 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.

Aramco has been exploring technologies