IHI Corporation today announced the launch of a compact methanation system. This carbon recycling setup uses hydrogenation to convert carbon dioxide and synthesize 12.5 normal meters cubed per hour of methane. The company commercialized this system in response to heavy demand for pilot operations of its methanation equipment to assess the feasibility of making factories, research institutions, and business sites carbon neutral. IHI standardized the design to cut installation costs and accelerate deliveries. The compact housing facilitates fast installation and makes it possible to expand methane production by setting up multiple units.

The system can synthesize methane from business site carbon dioxide emissions. Methane can serve as an alternative to natural gas at these facilities or go into city gas pipelines for use at other sites or homes. Methanation should become a key technology for achieving carbon neutrality because it can use the existing city gas infrastructure. 

IHI aims to build an e-methane value chain by applying methanation system on existing LNG value chain. As feasible ways, e-methane is planned to be produced at LNG liquification and receiving terminals and at other sites generating a lot of carbon dioxide. It will mix the e-methane into natural gas pipelines to use it as fuel. 

E-methane value chain 

IHI has developed highly efficient methanation facilities by drawing on its proprietary high-performance, long-life methanation catalysts and reactor design technology for petrochemical reactors. The company is developing larger scale methanation equipment and technology to produce low-grade olefins for plastics from carbon dioxide. It also has carbon dioxide recovery technology and supplies efficient solutions that combine methanation and carbon dioxide recovery technologies. 

IHI is developing a service that uses blockchain technology to record and identify carbon dioxide emissions and reductions calculated from facilities operation data, converting it into environmental value that it distributes in external markets through its environmental value management platform. Employing this service will make it possible to quantify the environmental value of synthetic methane and convert it into digital assets, furthering the commercial implementation of methanation. 

IHI will help materialize carbon neutrality by 2050 by providing engineering services that combine a range of solutions. 

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