Obrist Group Banks on Gigaplants to Power Europe with Solar Methanol

Thorsten Rixmann of Obrist Group proposes to the European Union (EU) to lead a global methanol economy. His plan entails the construction and operation of massive production facilities in Africa and the Middle East, in zones with high solar intensity. Named Gigaplants, these units do not generate electricity: they produce methanol, at a rate of approximately 4 million tonnes per year. Unlike hydrogen, methanol is liquid under normal conditions and can transit through existing infrastructure — pipelines, oil tankers and tanker trucks.