Johnson Matthey technology selected for Spanish e-methanol plant

Johnson Matthey’s (JM) e-methanol technology has been selected by Reolum for the next phase of its La Robla Nueva Energia (NE) project. Located in the Spanish region of Castilla y León, it will be one of the largest e-methanol production plants in Europe, planned to be online by the end of 2027.

The facility will be one half of an integrated green energy generation project called La Robla Green. This project is made up of two facilities: Roblum, a green energy generation plant that will power more than 50,000 households – and La Robla NE, an e-methanol plant. La Robla NE blends the CO₂ extracted from the biomass plant with green hydrogen to produce e-methanol, with the expectation of up to 140 kt/year.

E-methanol is an increasingly important product in decarbonising two hard to abate sectors – the chemicals industry and heavy transport, like shipping. The project is supported by the European Investment Bank and a Final Investment Decision is expected in 2025.

Reolum is a Spanish firm specialising in the development of projects aimed at driving the energy transition and achieving decarbonisation. The company focuses on the development of green hydrogen, e-methanol, and biomass-fuelled combined heat and power technologies.

Reolum has selected JM’s eMERALD technology – a process that converts captured CO₂ to methanol – for the project, which contributes to the regeneration of an area in northern Spain, previously home to a thermal power plant and a once-thriving coal mining industry. This region has been designated as part of Spain’s “Just Transition Zones,” an initiative aligned with the European Union’s Just Transition Mechanism to support communities transitioning towards a low-carbon economy, while addressing the socio-economic challenges of decarbonisation.

JM adds its e-methanol eMERALD technology has been proven as a credible route to decarbonise methanol production since 2011.

For JM’s Catalyst Technologies business, the Reolum project represents the fifth win since April 2024 contributing to JM’s strategic milestone of 20 sustainable technologies project wins by the end of 2025/26.

Together with previously announced wins, including ETFuels’ planned methanol plant in Texas announced in December 2024, JM says it has won 15 major energy transition projects since April 2022.