TotalEnergies, Tree Energy, and a consortium of Japanese firms are partnering to develop a synthetic LNG project in the United States,โ aiming to supply โขlow-carbon fuel to global markets. The collaboration, announced today, will leverage renewable energy sources to produce synthetic methane, wich is chemically identical to natural gas but โcreated without fossil fuels.
This venture addresses the growing demand โคfor cleaner energy alternatives, particularlyโ in Asia, where LNG imports are crucial for โpower generation. The project seeks toโ decarbonize theโค LNG supply โคchain and provide a lasting fuel source asโ countries strive to meet climate goals. Initial output is targeted for the mid-2030s, with the US Gulf โCoast identified as a potential location.
TotalEnergies will contribute its expertise in LNG trading and project progress, while Tree Energy will provide its “solar Wind to Gas” technology, converting โrenewable powerโฃ into synthetic methane.The japanese partners โข- โincluding Kansai Electric Power, Osaka Gas, and Toppan Energy – will secure offtake agreements and contribute to project financing.โฃ
“This โขcollaboration represents a significant step towards decarbonizing the LNG market,” said Marco Alverร ,CEOโค of Tree Energy. “By combining our technology with TotalEnergies’ global reach andโค the Japanese partners’ commitment, we can deliver a sustainable energy solution at scale.”
The project will initially focus on producing approximately 0.5 million tonnesโข per annum (mtpa) of synthetic LNG, with plans โฃto scale up production as renewable energy capacity increases. The synthetic methane will be created by combining captured carbon dioxide with hydrogen produced from renewable electricity via electrolysis.
The partnership underscores a broaderโ trend of energy companies investing inโ synthetic fuels asโ a pathway to net-zero emissions. While still in its early stages, synthetic LNG โholds the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the global energy system.
