PowerFactor
Electrical optimization of SOEC-eREACT-MeOH
Project area
Resource procurement (Input)
Fuel production
Refining and upgrading
Storage
Transport
Distribution
Utilisation
Post-treatment and recycling
Safety and standardisation
Systems integration / sector coupling
Community work and stakeholder involvement
Structural frameworks, regulation, and markets
All projects in the MissionGreenFuels project portfolio contribute to the green transition across the green fuels value chain and cross-cutting themes. The highlighted icons indicate the area this project contributes to. Click on the icons to lean more.
Project description
PowerFactor accelerates large-scale Power-to-X deployment by tackling a key bottleneck: secure, grid-compliant electrical integration of dynamically operated electrolysis and synthesis units. Using the AU-Viborg pilot site and grid emulation, the project will provoke, measure and mitigate power-quality issues such as harmonics, unbalanced loads and fault propagation between plant and grid. It will also validate integrated SOEC–eREACT–MeOH operation, including improved steam integration. The outcome will be validated models and best-practice guidance that de-risk grid connection and operation, enabling scalable, reliable green methanol value chains in line with MissionGreenFuels’ Northern Star. Ultimately, this project will enable faster and more efficient deployment of local green fuel production, contributing to stronger Danish fuel supply independence.
Project facts
Project start
June 2026
Project status
Funding pool
Inflection point
Value chain and theme
Project objectives
Establish a grid emulation test environment for P2X plants
Build and commission an industrially relevant test setup that can reproduce realistic grid conditions and measure how a P2X plant behaves electrically under dynamic operation, enabling repeatable testing of plant–grid interaction and power quality phenomena such as harmonics and fault propagation.
Quantify and mitigate power quality impacts during dynamic operation
Run structured test campaigns on the integrated pilot chain to identify which operating modes and electrical events create the highest risk for unstable operation or non‑compliance, and develop practical mitigation strategies and operating envelopes.
Develop and validate plant–grid models for scalable deployment
Deliver models that link power-quality to process performance and validate them against pilot measurements, so they can be used as a reliable basis for future design, control concepts, and grid compliance documentation.
Demonstrate robust integrated SOEC–eREACT–MeOH operation
Demonstrate stable operation of the integrated SOEC–eREACT–MeOH chain under realistic conditions and variable load, including improved process integration concepts such as steam integration between units.
Translate results into best practice guidance and business case decision support
Consolidate project findings into clear best‑practice guidelines and decision support for industry, including recommendations for grid connection strategies and operational choices that improve robustness, compliance, and cost competitiveness for early commercial green methanol projects.
Project partners
Impact & outcome
PowerFactor will provide unique, validated evidence of how a dynamically operated Power-to-X methanol plant interacts with the electricity system. This includes both how grid disturbances affect the plant and how the plant influences power quality in the grid, based on measurements under controlled grid-emulation conditions. The project will develop and validate models linking grid behavior to process performance and demonstrate robust, integrated SOEC–eREACT–MeOH operation under realistic conditions, resulting in refined operating strategies and integration concepts. In addition, the project will translate results into deployment ready best practice guidelines and design/operation recommendations, supporting industry, licensors, grid operators/regulators and project developers with more robust and predictable grid integration pathways. By enabling scalable, grid compliant hydrogen, syngas and methanol production that can integrate with industrial processes, PowerFactor supports faster deployment of green methanol value chains and strengthens the foundation for large scale adoption of sustainable fuels.
Mission fit
PowerFactor strengthens the MissionGreenFuels portfolio by addressing a barrier to scaling green fuels: reliable, grid-compliant integration of large Power-to-X plants under dynamic operation. It complements more process- and equipment-focused activities by adding a system perspective – combining grid emulation, pilot operation in AU-Viborg, and validated models to turn plant–grid interaction into practical best practice for deployment. The project strengthens the production part of the green fuels value chain by enabling robust operation of integrated SOEC–eREACT–MeOH schemes, reducing technical and economic risk for first commercial plants and supporting faster roll-out of scalable green methanol in Denmark and beyond.
