World's Largest Green Methanol Project Successfully Validated in China

The world's largest green methanol production project, 'Jinfeng Technology's Xing'an League Green Hydrogen-to-Green Methanol Project', has successfully completed process validation for its gasifier, marking a significant breakthrough in green methanol manufacturing for the chemical industry.

The project's core biomass gasification technology has demonstrated reliable operation and replicability under various conditions, following its first successful feedstock injection conducted under the supervision of industry experts. This milestone lays a solid foundation for the commencement of Phase I production.

The first phase of the project is being invested and constructed by Jinfeng Green Energy Chemical (Xing'an League) Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of China's Jinfeng Science & Technology, with a total investment of 2.296 billion yuan. It will have an annual production capacity of 250,000 tons of green methanol, positioning it to supply the world's shipping industry with its first large-scale batch of green methanol fuel while providing additional raw material support for downstream industries.

The project employs advanced environmental protection facilities and processes to ensure pollutant emissions meet regulatory standards during production, aiming for a win-win outcome in both economic and environmental benefits. To date, the Maersk-Hapag-Lloyd "Twins" Alliance has signed green methanol fuel procurement agreements with Jinfeng Technology to jointly advance the development of green shipping.

Jinfeng Green Energy Chemical leverages local resources in Xing'an League, producing green hydrogen from wind power and further converting it into green methanol using biomass resources such as corn stalks. Building on this success, the Xing'an League Administrative Office and Jinfeng Green Energy Chemical Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. have signed investment agreements for the second and third phases, with subsequent expansion projects entering the implementation preparation stage. Upon full completion, the total production capacity is projected to reach 1.45 million tons.

Strong Policy Support and Global Context

China is strongly supporting the green methanol industry. The 'Implementation Plan for Accelerating Clean and Low-Carbon Hydrogen Applications in the Industrial Sector,' jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the National Energy Administration, explicitly identifies 'vigorously developing hydrogen-carbon coupling to produce green methanol' as a key direction.

Local governments in Shanghai, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Liaoning, Shandong, Guangdong, and Jiangsu have actively responded by introducing supporting policies. Shanghai's 'Work Plan for Promoting the Green Transition of International Shipping Fuels', released in October 2024, aims to establish an integrated green fuel supply system by 2030 with green methanol bunkering capacity reaching one million tons.

Globally, according to MI and GENA databases and as of August 2025 statistics, China accounts for 55% of global renewable methanol projects planned before 2030, while Europe holds a 26% share. North America ranks third, representing approximately 11% of the global total.

China's Leading Expansion Pace

Although China's total methanol production capacity exceeds 80 million tons, with green methanol currently accounting for less than 5%, its expansion pace leads globally. Over 20 projects planned for 2025 will add more than 3 million tons of capacity, with long-term plans exceeding 10 million tons per year.

According to forecasts by Roland Berger Management Consulting, China's green methanol demand will reach approximately 12 million tons by 2030, accounting for nearly 50% of the global market. By 2040, over 90% of China's green methanol demand will be driven by marine fuel applications, growing further to around 120 million tons by 2050.

China's green methanol production capacity is projected to exceed 5 million tons by 2027 and capture over 40% of the global market share by 2030, positioning it to become the world's largest supplier. As costs decline and standards mature, green methanol is expected to achieve large-scale adoption across shipping, chemicals, power generation, and other sectors, forming a trillion-yuan industrial ecosystem.