Efuels developer HIF has awarded a 12-month Feed contract to US engineering, procurement and construction company Bechtel, Germany’s Siemens Energy and Denmark’s Topsoe for an efuels manufacturing facility in Matagorda County, Texas.

Siemens will be responsible for the engineering and design of the project’s electrolysers, which will be required to produce 300,000t/yr of green hydrogen. Topsoe will focus on the engineering and design to synthesise methanol from green hydrogen and carbon captured from the atmosphere, as well as the further conversion of methanol to gasoline.

300,000t/yr – Planned green hydrogen production

Efuels can be used as drop-in fuels for existing vehicles without requiring modifications to engines or refuelling infrastructure.

HIF expects the facility to produce 750mn l/yr of “carbon-neutral” gasoline by 2027. The developer plans to begin construction in Q1 2024.

“Beginning the 12-month Feed engagement materially advances the HIF Matagorda efuels facility beyond preliminary engineering into this second phase of project design,” says Renato Pereira, CEO of HIF’s US subsidiary.

“Upon completion of the Feed, we expect to achieve a Class 2 cost estimate and a level of engineering sufficient to commence construction,” he adds.

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Author: Polly Martin