GENA Solutions has published its January 2026 update of Project Navigator Methanol, identifying 275 renewable and low-carbon methanol projects with a combined planned capacity of 58.2m tonnes by 2031.

The current pipeline comprises:

• 23.6m tonnes of e-methanol
• 23.5m tonnes of biomethanol
• 11.2m tonnes of low-carbon methanol

Compared with the previous month, the total project volume increased by 0.7m tonnes. Four new projects were added to the tracker, while two suspended developments were removed.

GENA also reported the start-up of a new 100,000-tonnes-per-year biomethanol facility in China, lifting global operational renewable methanol capacity to more than 900,000 tonnes.

Existing production is split across:

• around 400,000 tonnes in China
• roughly 400,000 tonnes in North America
• approximately 100,000 tonnes in Europe

Based on project timelines, GENA forecasts renewable methanol capacity could reach about 2m tonnes in 2026, exceed 3m tonnes in 2027 and rise to between 5m and 13m tonnes by 2030.

Interest in methanol continues to grow within the marine fuel sector, as shipowners increasingly order methanol-capable vessels as part of long-term decarbonisation strategies.