Washington State Dept. of Ecology - GHG Life Cycle Analysis of Proposed $2 Billion Methanol Plant
Overview:
A cutting-edge sustainability project – involving the life cycle analysis (LCA) of GHG emissions from methanol, from production to final use, globally.
The site at the Port of Kalama where NW Innovation Works had proposed a 90-acre methanol plant. (source: NW Innovation Works)
Northwest Innovation Works (NWIW) and the Port of Kalama had proposed to build a new $2 billion methanol plant, Kalama Manufacturing & Marine Export Facility, on the banks of the lower Columbia River in Kalama, Washington. The Project consisted of a methanol manufacturing facility and a new marine terminal on approximately 100 acres on the Columbia River at the Port’s North Port site. The proposed methanol manufacturing plant would convert natural gas to methanol, which would be stored on-site and transported via marine vessel to global markets, primarily in Asia.
Project Details:
KERAMIDA’s Team managed the calculation of the global life cycle GHG emissions of the proposed methanol manufacturing facility, including processes related to its construction and operation, the methanol storage and shipping overseas, and its use as raw material or fuel alternative, globally. The project was done for the State of Washington’s Department of Ecology, under the lead of TRC.
KERAMIDA’s responsibility, as a member of the TRC Team, was the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the GHG emissions. The objective of this analysis was to determine the potential impacts associated with various manufacturing pathways that may arise from export of methanol product, in terms of lifecycle GHG emissions, and quantify lifecycle GHG emission risk among potential global pathways.
KERAMIDA completed the following:
Determined the relevancy of emission sources and quality and type of data used to critically review the previous lifecycle analysis
Performed a full lifecycle GHG emissions analysis within various boundaries, including within the Project site, within the State of Washington, within the United States, and globally
Identified GHG sinks, sources, and reservoirs (SSRs) for various phases of the Project lifetime, including pre-operation (i.e., construction), operation (both upstream and downstream pathways), and termination
Modeled multi-sectoral global supply and demand impacts of the Project and modeled the potential for product source displacement
Assessed the effects of the Project on GHG emissions both within the U.S. and globally, for multiple production scenarios including for use as olefin and as methanol fuel with non-methanol technologies utilized for olefin production
On Jan. 20, 2021, the Washington Department of Ecology denied a necessary shoreline permit, citing the greenhouse gas emissions that would be directly emitted at the plant. The denial ultimately led to NW Innovation Works’ decision to end the project.
Related Services:
KERAMIDA offers a wide variety of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) services to clients worldwide, including multi-facility industrial clients, industrial associations, law firms, and state organizations. Our experienced team of GHG experts provide carbon footprint evaluations, GHG inventories, GHG monitoring plans, and training.
