Repsol, Enerkem, and Agbar to Build Waste-to-Chemicals Plant in Spain
- The plant will process 400,000 tons of waste to produce 220,000 tons of methanol.
- It aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 200,000 tons.
- The plant is expected to be operational by 2025.
- The project has received environmental approvals and is in stage 2 of the EU Innovation Fund.
Project Overview
Repsol, Enerkem, and Agbar are collaborating on the Ecoplanta project to build a waste-to-chemicals plant in Tarragona, Spain. The plant will process 400,000 tons of non-recyclable municipal solid waste annually, producing 220,000 tons of methanol. This methanol will be used to create circular materials and advanced biofuels, helping to avoid 200,000 tons of CO2 emissions and reducing landfill waste.
Timeline and Approvals
The plant is expected to be operational by 2025, with the final investment decision anticipated by the first quarter of 2022. The project has already secured the Integrated Environmental Authorization and the Environmental Impact Statement from local authorities.
Technological Partnership
Enerkem will provide the gasification technology to transform municipal solid waste into methanol. This technology has been rigorously tested and scaled up from pilot to commercial scale, with successful demonstrations in Edmonton, Canada, and a new facility under construction in Varennes, Canada.
European Union Innovation Fund
The project has been selected to advance to stage 2 of the European Union Innovation Fund, which supports highly innovative technologies and flagship projects in Europe aimed at significant emission reductions.