Confirming the news today (3rd Feb), the industrial gas giant said the plant will have a production capacity of 380 GWh per year, taking its worldwide biomethane production capacity to 1.8TWh.
It is hoped the new plant will be operational by the end of next year (2023).
milie Mouren-Renouard, Member of the Air Liquide Executive Committee, in charge of Innovation, Digital and IT, Intellectual Property and Global Markets and Technologies World Business Unit, said, “Biomethane, like hydrogen and CO2 capture technologies, has a prominent place in the portfolio of solutions developed by Air Liquide to fight global warming and preserve the environment.
“The announcement of the construction of our largest biomethane production unit in the world illustrates Air Liquide’s determination to accompany its customers in the industrial and transportation sectors throughout the energy transition, but also to actively contribute to the emergence of a low-carbon society.”
In addition to the Illinois plant, Air Liquide has said it will bring another biomethane production unit onstream in Delavan, Wisconsin, at the beginning of the second quarter this year (2022).
With these new units, Air Liquide is showcasing its commitment to providing low-carbon solutions to its customers and growing itself to be a significant biomethane production player in the US.
Globally, Air Liquide has 21 operational biomethane production units