Clariant AG (Muttenz, Switzerland) and Shanghai Boiler Works, a full subsidiary of Shanghai Electric, have formalized a strategic cooperation agreement aimed at accelerating green energy projects, particularly within China. This partnership, announced following the successful commissioning of China's inaugural biomass-to-green methanol plant in Taonan, Jilin Province, signifies a major step towards scaling sustainable fuel and chemical production. The collaboration combines Shanghai Electric's extensive process engineering prowess and plant design capabilities with Clariant's advanced catalyst technology, setting a precedent for integrated green energy solutions in the global energy transition.

The agreement stems directly from the companies' successful collaboration on the Taonan plant, which commenced operations with a capacity of 50,000 tons per year of green methanol utilizing Clariant's high-performance MegaMax catalysts. Clariant provided crucial technical on-site support during the plant's successful startup. A significant second phase of the project is already planned for 2027, targeting a substantial increase in capacity to 200,000 tons per year of green methanol and introducing 10,000 tons per year of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production. The official signing ceremony for this strategic partnership contract took place last week at the Clariant Innovation Center in Frankfurt, Germany.

Georg Anfang, Vice President at Clariant, commented on the significance of the alliance, stating, "We are proud to add China’s first biomass to green methanol plant in Taonan to a strong series of facilities that are already producing green methanol with our high-performance MegaMax catalysts. As China is becoming one of the frontrunners in the energy transition, our strategic alliance with Shanghai Electric will further strengthen Clariant´s footprint as a key enabler to produce clean energy, chemicals, and fuels." Qiu Jiayou, Vice President at Shanghai Electric, echoed this sentiment, adding, "We are proud of the successful launch of our new project and are equally delighted about our strategic agreement with Clariant, a company which understands and shares our vision for the future. Our teams look forward to joining forces to develop exceptional, sustainable energy solutions for customers around the globe."

The scope of this strategic cooperation encompasses joint research and development initiatives, comprehensive engineering design services, the supply of specialized chemical equipment, and the provision of turnkey solutions for new projects. Clariant will contribute its extensive knowledge and advanced catalysts for the production of green methanol, e-methanol, green ammonia, and sustainable aviation fuel, as well as for critical gas purification processes. Shanghai Electric, a global leader in industrial and energy solutions specializing in power generation, transmission, intelligent manufacturing, and automation systems, brings its deep expertise in leveraging cutting-edge technological innovations to empower industries and deliver sustainable value. This partnership underscores the growing global demand for sustainable fuels and chemicals, driven by ambitious decarbonization targets, and positions both companies at the forefront of the clean energy revolution.