Aramco and ENOWA to develop first-of-its-kind e-fuel demonstration plant

Aramco, a globally recognized energy and chemicals conglomerate, has joined forces with ENOWA, NEOM's distinguished energy and water company, to forge a pioneering partnership aimed at establishing a groundbreaking synthetic electro fuel (e-fuel) demonstration facility. This innovative plant will be situated within ENOWA's Hydrogen Innovation and Development Center (HIDC) and is geared towards showcasing the technical feasibility and commercial viability of generating 35 barrels per day of low-carbon synthetic gasoline. This e-fuel will be produced from renewable-based hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide (CO2).

The e-fuel technology is fundamentally founded on the principles of a circular carbon economy, with the potential to cut CO2 emissions by an impressive 70 percent across the entire life cycle, when juxtaposed with traditional fuels. The holistic facility will, upon completion, manufacture an impressive 12 tons of synthetic methanol daily from green hydrogen and CO2. This will be achieved through the utilization of proprietary technologies developed by ThyssenKrupp Uhde. The synthetic methanol will subsequently undergo conversion into low-carbon gasoline via ExxonMobil's Fluidized-Bed Methanol-to-Gasoline (MtG) technology.

At the heart of the HIDC, green hydrogen will also be produced by leveraging a 20-megawatt electrolyzer that runs on renewable energy sources. ENOWA's innovation center is poised to serve as a demonstrative platform, highlighting the immense potential for commercially harnessing wind and solar power in the region.

Aramco has been actively exploring low-carbon synthetic fuels for a number of years. The establishment of this demonstration plant within NEOM represents the culmination of extensive research and development endeavors, all aimed at optimizing the production of synthetic fuels. In parallel, ENOWA regards e-fuels as a pivotal element in the future landscape of a circular carbon economy. This perspective aligns with their overarching mission to reduce emissions and validate the potential of next-generation green fuel technologies for large-scale projects in the future.

Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter, Aramco's Executive Vice President of Technology & Innovation, expressed enthusiasm for this collaboration, emphasizing the crucial role of synthetic fuels in expediting the decarbonization of the global vehicle fleet. He highlighted the organization's eagerness to partner with other stakeholders to manifest this vision. Through a collaborative development agreement, NEOM will take charge of the plant's construction, while Aramco and ENOWA will jointly oversee its operations and invest in relevant research programs.

Peter Terium, CEO of ENOWA, positioned this partnership as a significant milestone for the company, aligning with Saudi Arabia's global leadership in a circular carbon economy driven by green hydrogen. He underlined the transformative potential of pioneering sustainable technologies and ENOWA's eagerness to collaborate with Aramco on the development of an advanced e-fuel facility in NEOM.

Roland Kaeppner, ENOWA's Managing Director of Hydrogen and Green Fuels, elaborated on the project as a tangible manifestation of the circular carbon economy in practice. He also emphasized ENOWA's dedication to advancing Saudi Arabia's climate action objectives through scientific innovation.

The integrated e-fuel facility serves as a flagship endeavor within Aramco's broader research, development, and demonstration initiatives in the realm of low-carbon synthetic fuels. In a separate venture announced in 2022, Aramco entered into a partnership with Formula 2 and 3 to explore the integration of synthetic components in fuel formulations for motorsports. Moreover, Aramco and Repsol are jointly investigating the production and demonstration of low-carbon synthetic diesel and jet fuel for automobiles and aircraft.

Aramco's Transport Technologies R&D, spanning multiple locations worldwide, is vigorously advancing various technologies aimed at fostering a more dependable, affordable, and sustainable future in the realm of transportation.