Pärnu e-methanol plant plans to start production as early as 2028
A new €72 million e-methanol plant built on the grounds of Pärnu Airport will begin production as early as 2028, the company has said.
The international energy company Destiny Energy Singapore, which is establishing the unit, presented its plans in more detail on Tuesday.
The facility will produce up to 10,000 tons of e-methanol per year, primarily for use in shipping, and create 25–30 permanent and around 100 temporary jobs.
The new complex will run entirely on green energy and a new solar park will be built at the airport for this purpose. The plant will also use energy from a nearby wind park.
The company's CEO and chair of the management board of Pärnu P2X Hub OÜ, Vijay Sirse, told a press conference that the decision to set up production in Estonia was partly coincidental.
He highlighted Estonia's favorable location between the Nordic and Baltic countries, and also pointed to EU membership as a benefit.
Sirse said methanol is a relatively easy substance to handle. It is not difficult to store or transport and does not require special cooling systems, as it is liquid at room temperature, he added.
The CEO said there is nothing completely new about e-methanol, which is the purest form of green methanol. The only difference is how it is produced. Carbon dioxide from Estonia's biomethane plants will be used to produce methanol at the new facility.
Sirse said a completely independent production system will be created in Estonia, as local energy sources and infrastructure are available, and there is no dependence on external sources.
Riivo Tuvike, chairman of the management board of Tallinn Airport AS which owns Pärnu Airport, said the company has been looking for ways to generate income to support regional facilities for years.
"Our greatest potential is in Pärnu, where there is the most land, where it's possible to do other things," Tuvike explained.
"The starting point of the project is that the airport remains an airport. Air traffic must still be possible there in the future, and there must also be room for expansion," Tuvike emphasized. "We have also ensured that safety measures are in place."
The investment in building the plant amounts to €72 million, of which €8.6 million will come from the European Union's Innovation Fund. The unit plans to begin production in 2028.
Sirse acknowledged that the schedule is quite tight, but he believes they will be able to meet it.
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Editor: Karin Koppel, Helen Wright
