India’s first methanol from captured CO2 marks breakthrough for Carbon Clean and NTPC

A COAL-FIRED power station in India has produced its first drop of methanol from captured industrial CO2 – marking a breakthrough in low-carbon innovation powered by Carbon Clean’s cutting-edge technology.

Over a two-year project, Carbon Clean partnered with Indian energy company NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance (NETRA), which licensed its CaptureX semi-modular technology for use at the Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station in Madhya Pradesh.

At the station’s 500 MW Unit-13 site, NTPC uses CaptureX to extract CO2 directly from flue gas, which is then catalytically hydrogenated with green hydrogen to produce methanol.

India is preparing to launch a robust carbon capture initiative aimed at advancing its net-zero emissions goal by 2070, while continuing to rely heavily on coal as a primary energy source. The initiative is expected to offer government incentives ranging from 50% to 100% for select carbon capture projects, aiming to accelerate their adoption across the country.

CaptureX

Carbon Clean’s CaptureX semi-modular technology has been tested in industrial settings for nearly a decade. At NTPC’s power station, the system is designed to capture 20 t/d of flue gas.

The system uses Carbon Clean’s proprietary solvent, specifically formulated to treat industrial flue gases and off-gases from heavy industry. The company says the system produces CO2 at more than 99% purity, ready for reuse, resale and sequestration.

Recently, Carbon Clean partnered with offshore oil processing operator MODEC to deploy its modular technology on its floating production storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs) – expecting to capture up to 300,000 t/y of CO2 per vessel.

The company launched its Global Innovation Centre (GIC) in India three months ago, which will look to advance the next generation of carbon capture technologies.

Building on the success of the methanol project, NTPC has selected Carbon Clean’s technology for a new initiative to capture 25 t/d of CO2 for ethanol production at its Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant.

Aniruddha Sharma, CEO of Carbon Clean, said: “These projects are key steps in showing how waste CO2 can be transformed into a valuable low-carbon product.”