George Olah Renewable Methanol plant
Overview
StatusConceptEuropean Clean Hydrogen Partnership · as of 2025
Country · regionIceland · near Grindavik / Grindavíkurbær
TechnologyCRI Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL); direct hydrogenation of CO2 with H2 over a mixed metal oxide catalyst
Productrenewable methanol (Vulcanol)
Capacity4000 tons/year (scaled from 1300 tons/year)
Capacity values retain their recorded units and scope. MW, kt H₂/y and Nm³ H₂/h are different measures; this page does not convert or add them without a shared operating basis.
Details
Technology & product
Carbon Reduction80-90% reduction versus comparable fossil fuels
ComponentsCO2 capture/purification, water electrolysis for hydrogen, methanol synthesis, distillation
Configuration DetailCO2 from adjacent geothermal plant is purified; hydrogen is generated by water electrolysis; CO2 and H2 are catalytically reacted; methanol is purified by distillation using geothermal steam.
Feedstockcaptured CO2 from geothermal flue gas, water
Final Usegasoline additive
Power Sourcegeothermal renewable power
Power Source DetailRenewable power supplied by the geothermal power plant at Svartsengi; hydrogen production uses water electrolysis.
Project Typeindustrial-scale renewable methanol plant
Status & timeline
Actual Output~5 million liters/year renewable methanol
Lifecycle Stagecommissioned / industrial-scale operation demonstrated
Operating Levelindustrial scale
EventCommissioned in 2012; Georgia Tech record specifies April 2012.
Location & names
Site NameSvartsengi Geothermal Resource Park
Official NameGeorge Olah Renewable Methanol plant
Timeline
No recorded project events.
Sources & record history
Sources
- Carbon Recycling International George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant Shared by 13 fields: Current
- Georgia Tech Library World’s First Commercial CO2 to Methanol Plant Shared by 6 fields: Current
- ThinkGeoEnergy Opening of CO2 to Methanol plant at Svartsengi geothermal plant
- European Clean Hydrogen Partnership European Hydrogen Observatory projects Dec2025
Field sources
Shared date, confidence and value status appear once with their source above; a dash in the table refers to that source context.
| Field | Shown value | Original value | Source | Date basis | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | George Olah Renewable Methanol plant | View exact valueGeorge Olah Renewable Methanol plant | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Site Name | Svartsengi Geothermal Resource Park | View exact valueSvartsengi Geothermal Resource Park | World’s First Commercial CO2 to Methanol Plant | — | |
| Administrative Area | near Grindavik / Grindavíkurbær | View exact valuenear Grindavik / Grindavíkurbær | World’s First Commercial CO2 to Methanol Plant | — | |
| Country | Iceland | View exact valueIceland | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Official Name | George Olah Renewable Methanol plant | View exact valueGeorge Olah Renewable Methanol plant | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Carbon Reduction | 80-90% reduction versus comparable fossil fuels | View exact value80-90% reduction versus comparable fossil fuels | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Components | CO2 capture/purification, water electrolysis for hydrogen, methanol synthesis, distillation | View exact value["CO2 capture/purification","water electrolysis for hydrogen","methanol synthesis","distillation"] | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Configuration Detail | CO2 from adjacent geothermal plant is purified; hydrogen is generated by water electrolysis; CO2 and H2 are catalytically reacted; methanol is purified by distillation using geothermal steam. | View exact valueCO2 from adjacent geothermal plant is purified; hydrogen is generated by water electrolysis; CO2 and H2 are catalytically reacted; methanol is purified by distillation using geothermal steam. | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Feedstock | captured CO2 from geothermal flue gas, water | View exact value["captured CO2 from geothermal flue gas","water"] | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Final Use | gasoline additive | View exact valuegasoline additive | World’s First Commercial CO2 to Methanol Plant | — | |
| Power Source | geothermal renewable power | View exact valuegeothermal renewable power | Opening of CO2 to Methanol plant at Svartsengi geothermal plant | Current | |
| Power Source Detail | Renewable power supplied by the geothermal power plant at Svartsengi; hydrogen production uses water electrolysis. | View exact valueRenewable power supplied by the geothermal power plant at Svartsengi; hydrogen production uses water electrolysis. | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Product | renewable methanol (Vulcanol) | View exact valuerenewable methanol (Vulcanol) | World’s First Commercial CO2 to Methanol Plant | — | |
| Project Type | industrial-scale renewable methanol plant | View exact valueindustrial-scale renewable methanol plant | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Technology | CRI Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL); direct hydrogenation of CO2 with H2 over a mixed metal oxide catalyst | View exact valueCRI Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL); direct hydrogenation of CO2 with H2 over a mixed metal oxide catalyst | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Capacity | 4000 tons/year (scaled from 1300 tons/year) | View exact value4000 tons/year (scaled from 1300 tons/year) | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Actual Output | ~5 million liters/year renewable methanol | View exact value~5 million liters/year renewable methanol | World’s First Commercial CO2 to Methanol Plant | — | |
| Event | Commissioned in 2012; Georgia Tech record specifies April 2012. | View exact valueCommissioned in 2012; Georgia Tech record specifies April 2012. | World’s First Commercial CO2 to Methanol Plant | — | |
| Lifecycle Stage | commissioned / industrial-scale operation demonstrated | View exact valuecommissioned / industrial-scale operation demonstrated | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Operating Level | industrial scale | View exact valueindustrial scale | George Olah - Industrial Scale Renewable Methanol Plant | — | |
| Progress Status | Concept | View exact valueannounced_or_planned | European Hydrogen Observatory projects Dec2025 Confidence: reported | Snapshot 2025-12-01 | Older value (2025) |
Record history
19 current sourced values · 1 older value · Record updated