Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, has delivered the technology stack behind European Energy’s Kassø Power-to-X (PtX) facility, the world’s first commercially viable e-methanol plant. Schneider Electric’s future-ready design supports enhanced productivity and cost efficiencies, while ensuring reliability, safety and sustainability – creating a scalable blueprint essential for accelerating green energy production.
Powered by renewable electricity from the adjacent 304 MW Kassø Solar Park, the largest in the Nordics, the facility captures biogenic CO₂ from nearby sources to produce up to 42,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually. That’s enough to keep a modern commercial airliner flying nonstop for over 4,200 hours, equivalent to 175 days in the air[1].
Today, low-carbon methanol alternatives represent only a fraction of global supply, yet IRENA forecasts demand for e- and biomethanol could reach 500 million tonnes by 2050 as industries race to meet climate goals. Scaling commercially viable e-methanol is essential, especially for hard-to-electrify sectors like chemicals, aviation, and shipping - to decarbonize operations and unlock a global clean fuel economy.
Schneider Electric technology underpins the Kassø plant’s commercial success, delivering a fully integrated automation, energy management, and software solution that optimizes every stage of production to boost performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency. This makes e-methanol more competitive and commercially viable.
Technology Backbone for Operational Excellence
European Energy’s technology stack features Schneider Electric’s advanced automation architecture including Modicon M580 PLCs, delivering high-performance automation with built-in cybersecurity and real-time data intelligence. Safety Integrity Level (SIL) certified safety modules and advanced diagnostics ensure safe, resilient operations, even in the harshest environments. Altivar Process low-voltage drives add intelligent motor control with integrated energy monitoring and process optimization, reducing consumption and extending asset life. Trihal transformers provide fire-safe, low-maintenance performance with IoT-enabled thermal monitoring to prevent overheating and unplanned downtime.
All systems are unified through the AVEVA System Platform, offering real-time operational visibility and centralized control across sites. Its scalable architecture supports the development of a Unified Operations Center (UOC), enabling faster decisions, improved operator efficiency, remote operations and streamlined engineering. In addition, Schneider’s Cybersecurity by Design ensures secure, remote, and hybrid operations-protecting infrastructure and maintaining compliance across European Energy’s global footprint.
“This project marks a pivotal moment in the journey toward industrial decarbonization,” said Gwenaelle Avice Huet, Executive Vice President, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric. “By embedding automation, energy management, and software into a unified solution, we’re helping European Energy reduce downtime, emissions, and operational costs, while enhancing performance, reliability, and safety. Together, we’re creating a scalable, replicable model that can accelerate the global rollout of commercial e-methanol plants and drive the transition to a more sustainable energy future.”
The Kassø facility builds on Schneider Electric’s decade-long partnership with European Energy, which began with solar infrastructure and evolved into deep collaboration on PtX systems. The project was managed and delivered by Soft & Teknik A/S, a long-standing Schneider Electric Alliance Partner. Soft & Teknik was responsible for the full implementation of Schneider Electric’s technologies at the Kassø site – from automation and energy management systems to power distribution equipment – and led the development of the integrated software package that unifies operations across the facility
“This isn’t just a milestone for European Energy, it’s a breakthrough for the global green fuels industry,” said Knud Erik Andersen, CEO of European Energy. “We have had a long cooperation with Schneider Electric. Their advanced technology have made it faster going from pilot to full-scale commercial production at our Kassø facility. This will advance clean fuel innovation and support the global energy transition.”
Confirmed off takers include A.P. Moller - Maersk, Novo Nordisk, and the LEGO Group, each adopting Kassø’s sustainable feedstock as a fossil fuel alternative. Locally, the facility supports district heating for 3,300 homes and contributes to grid stability, reinforcing its role in both global and community-level sustainability.
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Footnotes
- [1] Cruise fuel consumption: Based on a large, long-haul aircraft that utilizes ~10 tonnes/hour flying 24 hours a day. 10 tonnes/hour×24 hours/day=240 tonnes/day. 42,000 tonnes/240 tonnes/day = 175 days. 42,000 tonnes/10 tonnes an hour = 4,200 hours. The 10 tonnes/hour estimate accounts for the lower energy density of e-methanol. ↑
