Join us on the road to tackle greenhouse gases-methane and CO2 emissions.
Mettoc, SE was spun off from the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry to leverage decades of catalytic research combined with the innovation and speed of the private sector.
Backed by its investors in breakthrough catalyst technologies, Mettoc team is uniquely positioned to deliver a new, revolutionary catalytic method of producing methanol from natural gas, biogas and synthetic methanol from CO2.
Mettoc holds the exclusive worldwide license to develop and deploy this breakthrough technology and is well positioned to work with oil and gas companies to solve gas flaring challenges.
This technology is protected by several patents and the patent rights belong to J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry
The world needs a fundamentally new source of clean energy to meet our growing energy demands and combat climate change. Scientists have been studying new methane oxidation catalysts for decades and have made significant progress, but have yet to reach their potential as a commercial energy vector. But its promise continued to drive interest, with the knowledge that successfully deployed catalysts that turn gases into liquids would transform the world's energy landscape. Mettoc has assembled a world-class team and developed a collaborative approach to commercialize this catalytic technology on the fastest possible path to addressing climate change.
Co-founder
Chairman of the Board of Directors & CEO
Natural gas flaring is a significant waste of valuable energy resources and a substantial environmental concern due to methane emissions. Globally, approximately 140 billion cubic meters of natural gas are flared annually, resulting in roughly 1.4 gigatons of CO2 equivalent emissions, contributing to over 2.5% of global CO2 equivalent emissions. There are about 16,000 flaring sites worldwide, as seen in the latest satellite flare maps.
Current flare sites globally
Gigatons of CO₂e
We can save gigatons of CO2 from flaring by valorizing of otherwise wasted flaring gases into valuable liquid products. We add also value to stranded biogas into liquid products. Methanol is crucial for decarbonizing the shipping industry and a very important basic chemical. In current shipping practices, green methanol is one ofthe most viable carbon-neutral alternative to oil-based fuels. Synthetic green methanol is prefered choice as hydrogen and energy carrier. We believe in abatement of greenhouse gases (methane and CO2) by a conversion of mainly flared methane gas to methanol liquid as an efficient energy carrier and basic valuable chemical platform.
A disruptive way to produce methanol by enabling the technology to be scalable, simple, modular, flexible with no need for syngas loop. Our catalytic approach is utilizing and valorizing otherwise wasted stream - flare gases. On top of it, this technology enables liquefaction of biogas into bioethanol as well as synthesis of green methanol from CO2 and hydrogen. Our goal is to develop CAPEX/OPEX low technology to target flare gases, liquefied biogas and efficient production of bio/methanol as energy and hydrogen carrier.
Global methanol demand was approximately 90 million mt in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 4.5% p.a. This increase would be supported by a gradual shift to renewable methanol. The International Renewable Energy Agency, or IRENA, estimates the increase in methanol production is expected to see a progressive shift to renewable methanol, with an estimated annual production of 250 million mt of e-methanol and 135 million mt of biomethanol by 2050
A new, breakthrough catalyst that activate molecular oxygen at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This is enabled by selective oxidation of methane to methanol from room temperature and atmospheric pressure. A new way of oxidation of methane by molecular oxygen, new types of active centers in catalyst and a new mechanism of activation of molecular oxygen.The catalyst based on zeolite structures allowing simple industry application.
Main benefits:
Variability, flexibility and reliability of operations
Scalability up and down, modularity
Friendly process conditions starting from low temperature and ambient pressure
Disrupting the current state of methanol production processes
Much lower OPEX and CAPEX compared to syngas based technology
Productivity learning curve:
Initial methanol trial production reached > 2,000 μmol MeOH/g.h, with continuous development we are now increasing production target to 10,000 μmol MeOH/g.h, and still having a room for substantial improvements.
We are focusing on a significant abaintment of greenhouse gas emissions and closing cycle of circular carbon economy. Our catalytic technology can minimize CO2 emissions from flaring in processes of extraction of natural gas and crude oils, further abatement of methane emission during its production, transport and utilization. Synthesis of green methanol from CO2 and hydrogen for circular carbon economy.
Low-temperature selective oxidation of methane over binuclear cationic centers in zeolites
E. Tabor, M. Lemishka, Z. Sobalik, K. Mlekodaj, P.C. Andrikopoulous, J. Dedecek, S. Sklenak, Commun. Chem. 2 (2019) A.n. 71.
Room temperature oxygen dissociation for methane oxidation over man-made catalyst
E. Tabor, J. Dedecek, K. Mlekodaj, Z. Sobalik, P.C. Andrikopoulos, S. Sklenak, Sci. Adv. 6 (2020): eaaz9776.
Splitting dioxygen over distant binuclear transition metal cationic sites in zeolites. Effect of the transition metal cation
J. Dedecek, E. Tabor, P. C. Andrikopoulos, S. Sklenak, Int. J. Quant. Chem., 121 (2021) Article Number: e26611.
Splitting dioxygen over distant binuclear Fe sites in zeolites. Effect of the local arrangement and framework topology
E. Tabor, M. Lemishka, J. E. Olszowka, K. Mlekodaj, J. Dedecek, P. C. Andrikopoulos, S. Sklenak, ACS Catal. 11 (2021) 2340-2355.
Dioxygen splitting at room temperature over distant binuclear transition metal centers in zeolites for direct oxidation of methane to methanol
K. Mlekodaj, M. Lemishka, S. Sklenak, J. Dedecek, E. Tabor, Chem. Commun., 57 (2021) 3472-3475.
Evolution of active oxygen species originating from O2 cleavage over binuclear iron structure in zeolite of FER topology
K. Mlekodaj, M. Lemishka, J. E. Olszowka, A. Kornas, H. Jirglova, J. Dedecek, E. Tabor, ACS Catal., 13 (2023) 3345-3355.
Activation of molecular oxygen over binuclear iron centers in Al-rich beta zeolite
A. Kornas, E. Tabor, D. K. Wierzbicki, J. E. Olszowka, R. Pilar, J. Dedecek, M. Sliwa, H. Jirglova, S. Sklenak, D. Rutkowska-Zbik, K. Mlekodaj, Appl. Cat.B, 335 (2023) 122912.
Operando 2D COS UV-Vis-NIR-IR approach for α-oxygen active site in FeMOR in oxidation of methane to methanol
K. Tarach, J. Sobalska, A. Held, J. Dedecek, E. Tabor K. Góra-Marek, J. Phys. Chem. C, in press.
Komora Plus: Dostaneme obnovitelnou energii z Austrálie?
J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry
(cas.cz)
Přímá přeměna metanu na metanol má šanci se prosadit v průmyslu
J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry
(cas.cz)
Čeští vědci našli cestu, jak efektivně změnit metan na užitečný metanol
ČT24 — Česká televize
(ceskatelevize.cz)
Česká hlava pro AV ČR za unikátní přeměnu metanu v metanol
Akademie věd České republiky
(avcr.cz)
Tým Mgr. Jiřího Dědečka, CSc., DSc.
Česká hlava
(ceskahlava.cz)
Chemická přeměna světového formátu
Vědavýzkum.cz
(vedavyzkum.cz)
Metanol z metanu – konečně efektivně
Sciencemag.cz
Spin-off firmy na AVČR mají podpořit inovace v péči o památky i výrobu metanolu
Novinky | CHEMAGAZÍN s.r.o.
(chemagazin.cz)
Přímá přeměna metanu na metanol má šanci prosadit se v průmyslu
TechFocus.cz
Jednodušší a levnější výroba metanolu se přiblížila k realizaci
(avcr.cz)
Nově vyvinutý katalyzátor na syntézu metanolu
(youtube.com)
Čeští vědci zakládají firmu, která bude inovativně přeměňovat metan na metanol
(energy-hub.cz)
