If a proposed methanol plant is built near Mývatn, there would not be enough electricity to support it and the long-proposed aluminium smelter for the region.
The company, Carbon Recycling, has been in talks with the national power company Landsvirkjun for some time now, and signed a willingness agreement with them last December. If the proposed plant is built, it would convert CO2 emissions to methanol, as opposed to the aluminium smelter, which is expected to increase Iceland’s CO2 emissions.
However, there is only so much power to go around. The methanol plant would require about 50 megawatts of power, which would leave no room for the aluminium smelter. Hörður Arnarson, the director of Landsvirkjun, told reporters that the matter is far from finalised, and that talks are still continuing.
For its part, Carbon Recycling contends that it will create 25 jobs for people living in the Mývatn region, and have also claimed that their business is green. It would be the first plant for production of renewable fuel from CO2 emissions in Iceland.
It is expected that a decision will be reached this February.
Related articles:
Clean Fuel Production Plant Coming to Iceland
Aluminium Smelter Would Have Negative Environmental Impact, Says National Planning Agency
Smelter Report “Confirms” Assessment from Saving Iceland
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