BioMCN

Operating under the umbrella of its parent company, OCI Global, and subsequently acquired by Methanex Corporation, BioMCN, now known as OCI Methanol Europe, carved a niche in the European renewable energy sector. The company's journey began in 2006 with the acquisition of a methanol plant in Delfzijl, Netherlands, originally built in 1974 and idled in 2005 due to high natural gas costs. The initial strategy focused on repurposing the facility to produce renewable methanol from crude glycerin, a byproduct of the biodiesel industry. This pivot was spearheaded by CEO Rob Voncken, who joined in 2007. By 2008, the glycerin-to-methanol process was operational.

A significant milestone occurred in 2015 when OCI N.V. acquired BioMCN for €15 million, integrating the Dutch facility into its expanding global chemicals portfolio and renaming it OCI Methanol Europe. Under OCI's ownership, the plant shifted its primary feedstock from glycerin to biogas, sourced from landfills and anaerobic digestion plants, and upgraded to pipeline quality. This process involves converting biogas, a renewable feedstock, into bio-methanol that is chemically identical to its fossil-based counterpart. This allows for its seamless use in existing applications. The Delfzijl facility features two production lines with a combined potential capacity of nearly 900,000 metric tons per year, though production has been impacted by fluctuating European gas prices, leading to the plant being idled in 2021.

The bio-methanol produced serves a diverse client base across several industries. It is sold as a second-generation biofuel for the transportation sector, where it can be blended with gasoline to reduce emissions, and as a feedstock for creating other biofuels and green chemical alternatives for the construction and automotive industries. The business model centers on the large-scale industrial production and sale of this renewable commodity. The strategic location at the Chemie Park Delfzijl provides excellent logistical access to major European markets via sea, rail, barge, and road. In June 2025, a significant corporate change took place when Methanex Corporation completed its acquisition of OCI's global methanol business, including the Delfzijl plant, integrating the asset into its European supply network.

Keywords: bio-methanol production, OCI Methanol Europe, second-generation biofuels, biogas conversion, renewable chemicals, green methanol, Delfzijl chemical plant, sustainable fuels, methanol market, OCI Global, Methanex Corporation, biofuels for transportation, circular economy, waste-to-chemicals, glycerin refining, anaerobic digestion, greenhouse gas reduction, chemical feedstock, European biofuel market, industrial biotechnology