SolWinHy Cadiz – more than just a green methanol project

Spain

The SolWinhy Cadiz project will produce around 30,000 tons of green methanol through a process of electrolysis with water and subsequent synthesis with CO2, which will then be transported by rail from the plant’s location in Arcos de la Frontera (Spain) to its final consumer in Germany. This is an innovative project for which IDOM is carrying out both the engineering design and all the environmental paperwork associated with the project.

The concept of “island” operation makes this project a special case in this type of facility, as it will be self-sufficient and completely independent from the grid. To this end, the good availability of renewable resources (wind and solar) was taken into account when choosing the site, as well as the possibility of including the circular economy and sustainability in the process: the water used in the plant will come from the tertiary phase of a nearby wastewater treatment plant.

These features make the project a candidate for the Andalusian Project Accelerator Unit, which includes “initiatives that, by virtue of their importance or nature, contribute to the achievement of the fundamental objectives of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, as set out in Article 10 of the Statute of Autonomy of Andalusia”.

SolWinhy Cadiz represents an integrated solution at the European level, which anticipates the possibility of a large transnational exchange of green hydrogen, with the technological wealth that this implies and the potential to set a precedent in Andalusia and Spain. In this way, green methanol will be produced in areas of southern Europe where wind and solar resources are high, while consumption will take place in areas of northern Europe where wind and solar resources for this type of production are low.

This investment is particularly important in the current socio-political scenario, where the commitment to alternative fuels to traditional fossil fuels is key. Therefore, this sector is in the process of a complete transformation, in accordance with the framework for facilitating sustainable investments established by Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020, with a view to achieving the long-term temperature objective of the Paris Agreement.

Click here (Spanish) to find out more about the SolWinhy Cadiz project.

Environmental Consulting & Sustainability