- Greenko Group
Keppel, AM Green explore opportunities to produce biomethanol, ethanol, SAF in Asia, Middle East
Keppel Corporation Ltd., through its infrastructure division, and AM Green, which is wholly owned and controlled by the founders of Hyderabad, India-based Greenko Group, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly explore opportunities to produce biogenic carbon-based sustainable fuels, such as bio and green methanol, second-generation ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The MOU was signed against the backdrop of COP28 in Dubai.
The two parties will jointly identify, evaluate and codevelop projects in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, which can harness and aggregate at least 1 million metric tons of biogenic CO2 per year to be used for the production of sustainable fuels in AM Green’s plants.
These fuels can serve as an environmentally sustainable alternative to fossil fuels to support the decarbonization of heavy industrial operations and the aviation sector.
In addition, Keppel and Greenko will also identify areas for collaboration in the value chain of a biomethanol project in India.
The project aims to produce 500,000 tons of biomethanol annually.
Biofuels, which are derived from organic material such as plant and animal biomass, make up the largest source of renewable energy in use globally, accounting for 55 percent of renewable energy and over 6 percent of the world’s energy supply,” according to the International Energy Agency.
The production and combustion of sustainable fuels significantly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, making them effective cleaner sources of energy.
Keppel currently operates a 273,750-ton-per-year anaerobic digestion and composting plant in Qatar, which was designed and built by Keppel in 2012.
This is the world’s largest composting plant and has the capacity to generate close to 110,000 cubic meters of biogas daily, which is converted into green electricity for operational use, as well as export to the grid.
Keppel is also involved in industrial carbon-capture feasibility studies for waste-to-energy facilities in Singapore and the U.K.
“Biofuels have an important role to play in decarbonizing industrial operations and the aviation sector,” said Cindy Lim, CEO of Keppel’s infrastructure division. “Keppel’s experience in handling and treating domestic waste and organic feedstock, as well as our know-how in effective carbon cycling will benefit this collaboration with AM Green. This partnership aims to spur the development of next-generation biofuels and sustainable aviation fuel in the region, which can serve as substitutes for fossil fuels.”
Mahesh Kolli, president of AM Green, said, “We are excited to partner with Keppel for this pioneering collaboration, which will propel the transformation of India towards being an exporter of renewable energy-derived products such as green methanol and SAF. AM Green will utilize Greenko’s Intelligent Renewable Energy Storage Platform that will enable Prime Minister Shri Modi Ji’s vision of India’s leadership in the global efforts to combat climate change, and establish us as a reliable, sustainable source of low-cost green molecules to catalyze India’s and the world’s decarbonization.”
This partnership is an extension of the collaboration between Keppel and Greenko that was signed in October 2022 to explore the feasibility of jointly developing a green-ammonia production facility of at least 250,000 tons per year in India.
The facility is envisaged to be powered by a portfolio of up to 1.3 gigawatts of solar and wind-energy projects, firmed by pumped hydro-storage.
This MOU also aligns with the launch of LeadIT 2.0 announced by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP 28 in Dubai.
LeadIT 2.0 focuses on the codevelopment and transfer of low-carbon technology and financial assistance to emerging economies.
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