The latest renewable energy news includes announcements on European Energy, Greenfield Global, Okra Solar, Enea, and others.
European Energy and Greenfield Global Plan 48,000-Tonne E-Methanol Plant in Quebec
Danish renewable-energy company European Energy and Canadian ethanol producer Greenfield Global have established a joint venture to develop an e-methanol production facility near Montreal, Quebec. Announced October 29, the proposed plant will have an annual production capacity of 48,000 tonnes of renewable methanol. The project will combine renewable electricity with biogenic carbon dioxide recovered from Greenfield’s existing ethanol manufacturing operations. The partners have completed preliminary engineering studies and will begin discussions with potential customers. European Energy operates the 42,000-tonne-per-year Kassø e-methanol facility in Denmark. The Quebec project will target maritime fuels, renewable chemicals and industrial customers. Investment value, final investment decision and commissioning dates remain unconfirmed.
British International Investment Provides $7 Million to Okra Solar for 150,000 Nigerian Electricity Connections
British International Investment has committed a $7 million debt facility to Australian-founded distributed-energy company Okra Solar. Announced October 29, the financing will support deployment of solar-powered mesh-grid systems in Nigeria. The facility is intended to enable approximately 150,000 additional electricity connections, potentially serving up to 750,000 people. Okra’s technology connects neighbouring households and businesses through low-voltage electricity networks and smart controllers. The company currently reports more than 13,000 connected households and 2.3 MW of installed capacity. The financing will allow Okra to purchase solar panels, batteries and other equipment in larger volumes before project deployment. The programme targets rural communities lacking reliable electricity access.
Enea and Polish Food Group Plan Six Biomethane Plants with Approximately 60 MW Capacity
Polish electricity company Enea and state-owned food producer Krajowa Grupa Spożywcza have signed a cooperation framework to develop biomethane production facilities. Announced October 28 and reported internationally October 29, the initiative envisages six biomethane installations with approximately 60 MW of combined capacity. The projects will be developed around sugar-processing facilities operated by the food group. Agricultural and industrial organic residues will provide feedstock for renewable gas production. The partnership combines Enea’s energy infrastructure expertise with access to biomass resources from food manufacturing. The companies will evaluate project development, financing and technical arrangements. The agreement remains at the planning stage, with investment values and commissioning schedules not yet disclosed.
