Ammonia and methanol are being promoted as low-carbon fuels and hydrogen carriers to support the global energy transition. They are currently being evaluated as alternatives for clean shipping, power generation, and long-distance hydrogen transport.
However, despite strong interest, their large-scale adoption remains slow due to uncertainty in the demand outlook in a price-sensitive market, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s Strategic Intelligence report, “Ammonia and Methanol in Energy Transition,” reveals that countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, and members of the European Union are backing low-carbon projects, while companies including Yara, Maersk, CF, and Mitsubishi are exploring large-scale investments to boost their production.
Low-carbon ammonia capacity is estimated to grow to nearly 250 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2030, with more than 460 upcoming plants globally.
Low-carbon methanol is projected to follow a similar path, with plant numbers approaching 150 by 2030. Yet many projects are in early stages of development, with some hydrogen-linked initiatives already seeing delays or cancellations.
