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Jogmec makes first e-methanol investment: Correction

  • : E-fuels, Hydrogen, Petrochemicals
  • 24/08/09

Corrects Jogmec's acquisition of a stake in HIF Global.in paragraph 2

Japan's state-owned energy agency Jogmec is investing for the first time in the e-methanol sector since the launch of a financing scheme in 2022 to aid domestic supplies of low-carbon fuels.

Jogmec announced on 8 August that it has accepted Japanese refiner Idemitsu's application to Jogmec's overseas financing scheme for hydrogen and low-carbon fuels-related projects. Jogmec will provide $36mn to the US' HIF Global through Idemitsu's US subsidiary Idemitsu Efuels America (IEAC) and obtain an undisclosed stake in the IEAC.

Idemitsu, through IEAC, will also invest $114mn to secure an undisclosed stake in US' HIF Global.

The deal follows Idemitsu's initial agreement with HIF in March 2023 to work on production and promotion of e-fuels, along with a decision to buy e-methanol from HIF and jointly study the possible development of the fuel.

Idemitsu and Jogmec plan to import e-methanol and other synthetic fuels from HIF's projects and use them as shipping fuels, as well as feedstocks to generate synthetic fuels and petrochemical products.

HIF is targeting to produce around 4mn t/yr of e-methanol equivalent by 2030 at its production sites in Tasmania in Australia, Matagorda in the US, Magallanes in Chile and Paysandu in Uruguay.


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25/04/25

Canada H2 sees opening as political chaos engulfs US

Canada H2 sees opening as political chaos engulfs US

Houston, 25 April (Argus) — Canada's hydrogen sector sees an opportunity to attract global customers as the US' bellicose stance toward its northern neighbor unites Canadians behind strengthening its energy capacity and as US political turmoil sends countries looking for other trading partners. "The mayhem south of the border has created a real national interest in exports," Trigon Pacific Terminals chief executive Robert Booker said this week at the Canadian Hydrogen Convention in Edmonton, Alberta. Trigon is building a berth at the port in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, to handle low-carbon hydrogen converted to ammonia. "The choice, quite frankly, is become the 51st state or export," Booker said. "We should export, and there's broad understanding that that's good for Canada." Canadian energy exports from Alberta have largely gone south to the US. Ambitions to tap global markets have been stymied in years past by community and federal opposition to building rail and pipeline infrastructure that would connect the landlocked province to the Pacific coast. Multiple large-scale hydrogen proposals in western Canada were quietly shelved in the past year because of a lack of infrastructure, among other challenges, and Canadian companies were shut out of recent Asian auctions to buy hydrogen because of similar restraints. But Trump's return to the White House has changed Canadians' views on export infrastructure. Both candidates in the upcoming 28 April general election, including Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney who served as UN Special Envoy for Climate Action, have vowed to build out pipelines , rail corridors and other infrastructure — including electricity grids — to diversify energy exports away from the US. "We've never been this united in the country," said Julie Lemieux, chief executive officer of Triple Point Resources, which is developing a salt dome in Newfoundland for hydrogen storage. "That's the positive of the chaos. We've been notoriously slow to approve these projects and invest in infrastructure. Whoever wins next week, they've all committed to investing in infrastructure." Panelists speaking in Edmonton expressed relief that Canada didn't follow the US example of putting tariffs on China, whose technology and components will be instrumental to containing costs while building Canadian infrastructure. "For better or worse, whatever your opinion, the build out of new infrastructure today is really dependent on China, especially when it comes to green infrastructure, where there's already an embedded green premium," said Matthew Borys, vice president of corporate development at EverWind Fuels. "Keeping the cost down is super important to getting these things built out." The Trump administration's preference for fossil fuel extraction over clean energy and its expansionist designs on the Panama Canal are also seen as opportunities for Canadian developers to attract Asian customers who could avoid the canal by exporting from British Columbia terminals, said James Vultaggio, vice president of Atco EnPower. "The administration to the south is focused more on fossil fuel production and reducing environmental regulations," Vultaggio said. "If they want to cede their seat as a clean energy leader, then Canada has an opportunity to fill that seat, and we should take it." Trump has been outspoken in his preference for fossil fuel extraction and has paused all federal clean energy disbursements related to the Inflation Reduction Act, which has raised doubts about whether US hydrogen hubs can survive as they were initially conceived during the administration of former president Joe Biden. Clean energy incentives such as the 45V hydrogen production tax credit have also come under scrutiny as the Trump administration seeks to shrink government spending. The uncertainty around clean energy incentives in the US may well send American investment north, said Denis Caron, chief executive of the Belledune Port Authority in eastern Canada's New Brunswick province, which is positioning itself as a green energy hub targeting European markets. Caron said an American company working with the port of Belledune remains bullish on its prospects there and could serve as a model to attract even more American investment if the US continues to claw back support for clean energy. "We see an opportunity to attract American investment to Canada and make those types of investments," Caron said. "Canada has a golden opportunity to fulfill the requirement of supplying clean and green energy products globally." By Jasmina Kelemen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Danish H2 sector criticises country's mandate draft


25/04/25
25/04/25

Danish H2 sector criticises country's mandate draft

London, 25 April (Argus) — Industry group Hydrogen Denmark and some of its member companies have criticised the country's draft to transpose EU hydrogen transport targets into Danish law, and have urged Copenhagen to adjust the rules before they are finalised in May. Companies with hydrogen projects, including Everfuel, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and European Energy, signed an open letter calling for changes, as did fuel producer Crossbridge Energy, which runs the 67,000 b/d Fredericia oil refinery and has an offtake deal for hydrogen from Everfuel. The group said Denmark's targets are unambitious and too low to spur significant demand and help the country realise its goal to export 'green' energy. The draft rules would effectively mean Danish fuel companies supply 1pc renewable hydrogen and derivatives to the transport sector by 2030, which was the minimum goal set by Brussels. The group urged Denmark to aim above the EU target, following member states like Finland that has set a 4pc target . The group also wants Denmark to phase in the quota with incremental increases each year until 2030 starting as early as 2026, to aid first-mover projects and generate experience that ensures Denmark can successfully meet the binding EU target that starts in 2030. The group also warned Denmark must not exclude use of subsidised hydrogen from counting towards transport targets. This would ruin the business case for many hydrogen production projects and could steer Danish producers towards exports and mean Denmark effectively subsidises neighbours like Germany to meet its own mandates, it said. The group's concerns stem from language around 'supported' projects in the draft text, which it understands to refer to state aid. If left unchanged, the rule would affect projects that Denmark has subsidised through its power-to-X tender and Danish projects that may hope to benefit from EU-level funds like the European Hydrogen Bank or the Innovation Fund. The industry group praised Copenhagen's plan to allow renewable hydrogen switching in refineries to count towards the targets. This mechanism, known as the refinery route in some European countries, has been called "elegant" by market participants because it should raise demand for hydrogen in the near term and is a logistically simpler way to cut CO2 than converting refuelling stations and vehicle fleets to use hydrogen. Denmark appears to have allowed the rule without limiting the value of credits, unlike the Netherlands where a 'multiplier' rankled industry participants . Allowing the refinery route will probably please Everfuel and Crossbridge Energy, as the latter had complained Denmark was not supporting its refinery 20MW fuel switching project unlike EU peers. Copenhagen had planned to set the draft mandates into law by 21 May — the deadline set under the EU's revised renewable energy directive (REDIII) — but it remains to be seen if it will press ahead with this timeline given industry has demanded changes. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Dow delays Path2Zero ethylene project in Canada


25/04/24
25/04/24

Dow delays Path2Zero ethylene project in Canada

Houston, 24 April (Argus) — Dow is delaying construction in Canada of its Path2Zero project, designed to produce 1.9mn metric tonne (t)/yr of low-carbon ethylene, until "market conditions improve", the company said today. The company decided to delay work at its Path2Zero project site in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, in light of uncertainty around US tariffs and potential retaliatory tariffs by US trading partners, especially their impact on product demand, the company said Thursday on its first-quarter earnings call. Path2Zero, designed to produce ethylene and derivatives with net-zero carbon emissions, was announced in October 2021 and was originally planned for a first-phase start-up in 2027 and a second phase in 2029. The first phase was meant to coincide with an expected upturn in the business cycle. But tariffs have increased uncertainty to the point that Dow said it cannot be sure of a recovery in two years. Chief executive Jim Fitterling described the current market environment as "one of the most protracted down-cycles in decades", compounded by geopolitical and macroeconomic concerns that further weigh on demand. The Path2Zero project delay will save $600mn in 2025, accounting for 60pc of the company's plan to cut capital spending this year by $1bn from the company's original $3.5bn spending plan. The pause comes before a ramp up in construction labor and allows the company to see how tariffs effect global demand and supply chains. "We are at a point right now where we can make this decision to have minimal impact on the project," Fitterling said. "We've done a lot of groundwork, we're finishing our engineering work, and we've got our long lead time items ordered." Despite the delay, Dow remains committed to the project in the long-term. The project will one day capture upside in demand for targeted applications like pressure pipe, wiring cable and food packaging, the company said. When complete, the project is expected to generate approximately $1bn/yr in incremental earnings. Even with the delay, it is still likely to be the world's first integrated ethylene complex to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions. To restart the project, Dow said it would have to start seeing supply and demand balances tighten. The company said it would next revisit restarting the project at the end of 2025. Without a green light by year's end, Dow said it would review a project restart "on a regular basis". The project would triple the site's ethylene and polyethylene (PE) capacity. In total, the site would produce approximately 3.2mn t/yr of low-to-zero emissions PE and other ethylene derivatives. The first phase startup in 2027 was to have brought on 1.3mn t/yr of ethane-derived ethylene and PE, and the second phase in 2029 was to bring on an additional 600,000 t/yr of ethylene and PE. The site will also convert cracker off-gas into hydrogen to be reused as a clean fuel in the production process. The project is designed to capture CO2 emissions for storage by adjacent third-party infrastructure. By Michael Camarda Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Canada election’s CO2 pricing issue one to watch for H2


25/04/23
25/04/23

Canada election’s CO2 pricing issue one to watch for H2

Canada's two main parties have clashed on the carbon pricing system ahead of the general election, but there is also common ground, writes Jasmina Kelemen Houston, 23 April (Argus) — Industrial carbon pricing has become one of the key issues in the run-up to Canada's forthcoming general election on 28 April, and the future course on this is expected to affect the country's nascent clean hydrogen sector. Prime minister Mark Carney's first major act after assuming office in early March was to scrap the consumer carbon tax . The tax had become the focus of popular anger against former prime minister Justin Trudeau after Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre blamed Liberal climate policies for rising household costs. But Carney, who served five years as the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action, left the federal carbon pricing system on industrial emissions intact and has vowed to keep it. In contrast, Poilievre has said he will eliminate it, arguing the system raises costs for consumers while merely shifting emissions abroad. Scrapping the federal carbon pricing system would not mean that emissions immediately become free of charge across Canada. The federal law serves as a "backstop" for provinces that do not have their own carbon pricing mechanisms in place, and sets minimum standards for others. Most provinces have their own systems in place for now, but they could alter or altogether eliminate these if the federal law on carbon pricing is removed. Climate activists say retaining the carbon pricing would be crucial for meaningful emissions cuts. "Without the signal industrial pricing systems send, other types of incentives... will not be enough to meaningfully drive down carbon pollution from big industry or deliver on Canada's climate goals," Canadian Climate Institute president Rick Smith said in March. Under the federal system, the minimum carbon tax is currently set at C$95/t ($68.60/t) of CO2 and is set to increase by C$15/t each year, plateauing at C$170/t in 2030. If such pricing is retained, it could help drive a shift towards cleaner hydrogen production , including from natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS), compared with existing production pathways with unabated emissions. For now, it seems likely that the federal carbon pricing system will survive the election. The Liberals were ahead in a rolling three-day Nanos poll released on 21 April, with 43.7pc favouring Carney compared with the Conservatives' 36.3pc. Corridor train Carney and Poilievre appear more aligned on other energy issues and policies that could have implications for the hydrogen sector. Both have embraced Canada's potential for fossil fuel output. Carney wants to turn the country into a "superpower in both clean and conventional energy", and has vowed to build out pipelines, trade corridors and other infrastructure — including electricity grids — to diversify energy exports away from the US. Some of this could support hydrogen ventures, such as in British Columbia where a slew of proposed renewable and CCS-based projects have failed to advance , partly because of high power prices and limited gas infrastructure. Despite the support for conventional energy, Carney and Poilievre have also stressed their commitment to retain investment tax credits for clean technologies and manufacturing. Renewable and CCS-based hydrogen projects can benefit from these , with tax credits depending on the carbon intensity of production. Both have vowed to streamline and accelerate permitting processes for large infrastructure projects, which could benefit hydrogen ventures if realised. Canada's clean hydrogen ambitions will also be dependent on the sector gaining traction elsewhere. Eastern Canada's goal to leverage its renewable resources and help meet what was expected to be burgeoning demand in Europe has stalled as the transatlantic market has failed to materialise as anticipated. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

India, Saudi Arabia to establish two Indian refineries


25/04/23
25/04/23

India, Saudi Arabia to establish two Indian refineries

Mumbai, 23 April (Argus) — India and Saudi Arabia will collaborate on establishing two refineries and petrochemical projects in India, according to an Indian government release today. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi met Saudi prime minister Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on 22 April, as part of the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council. Saudi Arabia in 2019 had pledged to invest $100bn in India in multiple areas including energy, petrochemicals, infrastructure, technology, fintech, digital infrastructure, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and health. The government did not disclose further details, but industry sources said that one of the two refineries might be Indian state-run BPCL's planned refinery in Andhra Pradesh , which Saudi Arabia's state-controlled Saudi Aramco may join as an investor. The other one might be a refinery in Gujarat, under a partnership with Indian upstream firm ONGC and Aramco. But plans for a 1.2mn b/d refinery in Ratnagiri in collaboration with IOC and Adnoc have mostly been ruled out, because of logistical issues relating to the size of the refinery and land acquisition hurdles, among others. Saudi Arabia is the third-largest crude supplier to India, making up 15pc or 712,000 b/d of India's total imports in January-March, data from oil analytics firm Vortexa show. Saudi Arabia's share in the Indian market has declined, after Russia became India's biggest supplier following its war with Ukraine. Modi's trip to the Middle East comes close on the heels of US vice president JD Vance's visit to India on 21 April. The visit included negotiations for an India-US bilateral trade agreement and efforts towards enhancing co-operation in energy, defence, strategic technologies and other areas. JD Vance in India Vance said on 22 April at his speech in Jaipur that India will benefit from US energy exports and said the US wants to help India explore its own considerable natural resources, including its offshore natural gas reserves and critical mineral supplies. US president Donald Trump has pushed India to step up its purchases of US crude and LNG. Crude imports from the US doubled on the month to 289,000 b/d in March, of which 65,000 b/d was Canadian Cold Lake crude, according to trade analytics firm Kpler. The visits come at a time when geopolitical and trade uncertainty has risen, because of Trump's volatile tariff policies. By Roshni Devi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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