Converting green H2 and captured CO2 into e-CH4 on an industrial scale

The Columbus project is a collaboration between limestone producer Carmeuse, and ENGIE Flexible Generation Europe, with John Cockerill as favoured electrolysis supplier. Planned for the ENGIE site near Charleroi, the installation is designed to produce green hydrogen (H2), capture CO2, and convert both into e-Methane (e-CH4), co-producing oxygen, steam, heat, and water as by-products to be valorised at the plant or elsewhere. This involves building a 100-MW hydrogen electrolyser, a CO2 capturing unit to be connected to the innovative Carmeuse oxy-calcination lime kiln, and an e-Methane production unit.

Columbus is an innovative Carbon Capture and Utilisation (“CCU”) project in Wallonia.

This project will concentrate CO₂ from an innovative type of lime kiln, and combine it with green hydrogen to produce synthetic methane, a renewable gas that can be injected into the gas grid or used in the transport or industry sectors. Synthetic methane or e-methane is produced by capturing carbon and reacting it with green hydrogen, itself produced using a 100 MW electrolysis unit, powered by renewable electricity.

This project is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It opens the door for a significant reduction of carbon emissions in Europe and the world.

The total investment cost for the project is over 300 million Euro. A funding application has been approved by IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest). A second funding application has been submitted to the EU Innovation Fund in Q1 2023 for which Columbus has been pre-selected and invited for the negotiation phase.

Pre-FEED study successfully concluded

ENGIE Laborelec has been acting as the owner’s engineer since the project’s feasibility stage in 2020. In 2022, the pre-FEED (front-end engineering and design) study was successfully concluded in close collaboration with Tractebel. The FEED study was launched in November and involves follow-up and validation of the works carried out by main technologies contractors (methanation & electrolysis). In addition, Laborelec and Tractebel are working hand in hand to develop the engineering of the Balance of Plant lot.

The studies are planned to be concluded by end of 2023. In parallel, ENGIE filed a permit early September and aims at a final investment decision by the end of Q1 2024.

Evaluating solutions from an economic point of view

Meanwhile, Laborelec is also supporting other e-fuel projects for ENGIE, including the ReuZe e-crude project at ArcelorMittal in Dunkirk and the France KerEAUzen project producing synthetic kerosene in Normandy.

Laborelec is also assisting ENGIE Flexible Generation’s transversal partnership management teams to evaluate the different e-Methanol and e-Kerosene technology providers to drive strategic matchmaking. For this, Laborelec is working closely with experts from the ENGIE Lab Crigen H2 Factory.