HIF Global Engages Bechtel, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe for eFuels Project in USA

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HIF expects to produce approximately 200 million gallons (750 million liters) per year of carbon-neutral gasoline in Matagorda County, Texas

The HIF Matagorda eFuels facility timing has been updated to Q1 2024 for construction start and 2027 for commercial operations

HOUSTON, SANTIAGO, Chile, SYDNEY and BERLIN, Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HIF Global, the world's leading eFuels company, announced today that its subsidiary HIF USA LLC ("HIF USA") has engaged Bechtel Energy, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe to conduct the front-end engineering and design ("FEED") of a facility to be constructed in Matagorda County, Texas to produce carbon-neutral gasoline (the "HIF Matagorda eFuels Facility").

When operational, the HIF Matagorda eFuels Facility will produce carbon-neutral gasoline that can be dropped-in to vehicles in use today without any modification to existing engines or the infrastructure on which they depend. The carbon-neutral gasoline will be produced by utilizing approximately 2 million tons of CO2 captured from the atmosphere and green hydrogen from renewable power. HIF USA expects to produce approximately 200 million gallons (750 million liters) per year of carbon-neutral gasoline by 2027, with the potential to decarbonize over 400,000 vehicles. HIF USA estimates creating approximately 4,500 direct jobs during the construction phase, which is expected to begin 1Q2024, and more than 100 permanent operating jobs. 

Renato Pereira, CEO of HIF USA said, "Beginning the 12-month FEED engagement materially advances the HIF Matagorda eFuels Facility beyond preliminary engineering into this second phase of project design.  Upon completion of the FEED, we expect to achieve a Class 2 cost estimate and a level of engineering sufficient to commence construction.  Bechtel Energy, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe are essential to the successful completion of this pioneering facility, which will provide decarbonization solutions to the transportation sector without any modifications to existing engines or delivery infrastructure." 

Bechtel Energy will conduct the engineering and design of the overall facility, which includes the integration of the Siemens Energy and Topsoe technologies and equipment. Siemens Energy will be responsible for the engineering and design of their proprietary "Silyzer 300" electrolyzers required to produce approximately 300,000 tons per year of green hydrogen. Topsoe will provide engineering and design for the methanol and methanol-to-gasoline processes, which will combine the green hydrogen with 2 million tons of CO2 captured from the atmosphere to produce approximately 1.4 million tons of methanol and then synthesize the methanol into 200 million gallons (750 million liters) per year of carbon-neutral gasoline.

"Supplying cars and ships in use today with carbon-neutral eFuels is an effective way to accelerate the decarbonization of our transportation sector and unlocks the advancement of technologies at scale for green hydrogen production and CO2 capture," Executive Director of HIF Global, Meg Gentle, said. "Working in partnership with Bechtel Energy, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe is critical to designing a safe, reliable, and low-cost facility that will set the new frontier in the fight against climate change."

"Decarbonizing our everyday transportation is now well within our grasp," said Paul Marsden, president, Bechtel Energy. "We look forward to partnering with HIF Global, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe on developing this eFuel facility that will shape our energy consciousness and build our path to net zero."

"Siemens Energy is proud to support HIF in bringing commercial scale eFuels production to the United States," said Rich Voorberg, President, Siemens Energy North America.  "Siemens Energy and its world-leading energy technology product portfolio is enabling the energy transition and the decarbonization of the economy.  Sector coupling plays a key role in these efforts, and Siemens Energy is excited about this opportunity to help develop sustainable fuels by engineering our Silyzer to generate hydrogen from clean sources of energy."

Roeland Baan, CEO at Topsoe, said: "We are proud that HIF Global has selected our technology for this truly innovative project which will contribute to decarbonizing US transportation. Our technology will be used to directly convert renewable hydrogen and CO2 to methanol, which is further converted into plug-and-play eGasoline. We are excited to showcase our technology for eFuels and see HIF Global's inspiring project come alive."

HIF Global is the world leading eFuels company, developing projects to convert hydrogen using low-cost renewable power into carbon-neutral liquid eFuels that can be transported and utilized in existing infrastructure. The name HIF represents the mission of the company: to provide Highly Innovative Fuels to make decarbonization of the planet possible. HIF Chile, HIF USA, HIF Asia Pacific, and HIF EMEA are wholly owned subsidiaries of HIF Global. HIF Chile is currently constructing the Haru Oni Demonstration Facility in Magallanes, Chile, and expects to produce eFuels in a couple of weeks. For more information, visit www.hifglobal.com.

Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction, and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers' objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place. Bechtel serves the Energy; Infrastructure; Nuclear, Security & Environmental; and Mining & Metals markets. Our services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com

Siemens Energy is one of the world's leading energy technology companies. The company works with its customers and partners on energy systems for the future, thus supporting the transition to a more sustainable world. With its portfolio of products, solutions, and services, Siemens Energy covers almost the entire energy value chain – from power generation and transmission to storage. The portfolio includes conventional and renewable energy technology, such as gas and steam turbines, hybrid power plants operated with hydrogen, and power generators and transformers. More than 50 percent of the portfolio has already been decarbonized. A majority stake in the listed company Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) makes Siemens Energy a global market leader for renewable energies. An estimated one-sixth of the electricity generated worldwide is based on technologies from Siemens Energy. Siemens Energy employs more than 92,000 people worldwide in more than 90 countries and generated revenue of around €29 billion in fiscal year 2022. More on www.siemens-energy.com  

Founded in 1940, Topsoe is a leading global developer and supplier of decarbonization technology, catalysts, and services for the energy transition. Our mission is to combat climate change by helping our partners and customers achieve their decarbonization and emission-reduction targets, including those in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation, shipping, and the production of raw materials. From carbon reduction chemicals, to renewable fuels and plastic upcycling, we are uniquely positioned to aid humanity in realizing a sustainable future. Topsoe is headquartered in Denmark, with over 2,100 employees serving customers all around the globe. To learn more, visit www.topsoe.com

CAUTIONARY INFORMATION ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Information in this press release includes various statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Words such as "can," "expect," potential," "to be," "will," and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements and convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things, our expectations of our plans, strategies, and objectives, including with respect to the timing and other aspects of the HIF Matagorda eFuels Facility. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from expectations expressed or implied in the forward- looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include (without limitation): our ability to timely obtain or maintain necessary permits to construct and develop the HIF Matagorda eFuels Facility; our ability to execute operational objectives on a timely and successful basis; legislative, policy, fiscal and regulatory developments; the outcome of commercial negotiations; our ability to raise financing; consumer preferences or demand; and various economic, business, and competitive factors affecting our business. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this paragraph. HIF Global urges you to carefully review and consider the cautionary statements made in this press release and cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. HIF Global undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update any forward- looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE HIF Global