THOR project : an innovation protected by three new patents
Paris, January 15, 2026 – KHIMOD announces the filing of three patents and confirms a major breakthrough in low-carbon methanol production, validated by the results of THOR, its industrial pilot co-funded by the Île-de-France Region and developed at its Wissous site near Paris. Test results show up to three times higher CO₂ conversion and units four times more compact than comparable solutions currently available. With these performances now validated and the patents secured, KHIMOD is entering a new industrialization phase in a rapidly accelerating global market.
KHIMOD has filed three patents covering its process for producing synthetic methanol from hydrogen and CO₂, also known as low-carbon methanol. The performance of this technology was demonstrated through the THOR pilot unit, operated at KHIMOD’s industrial site in Wissous, where the technology was tested under real operating conditions.
A breakthrough driven by optimized heat-exchange performance
The project confirmed the relevance of a key principle: operating the reaction at much higher pressures than conventional practice, increasing from around 80 bar to nearly 300 bar. This increase in pressure makes it possible to shift the chemical equilibrium of the reaction, leading to yields up to 25 times higher than the best technologies currently available on the market.
This highly intensified process releases large amounts of heat and could not be implemented in a conventional reactor. Only precise control of heat transfer, made possible by the use of milli-structured reactor-exchangers capable of operating at such pressures, allows optimal reaction control. This approach also enables a significant reduction in the amount of catalyst required, profoundly improving the overall economics of the process.
Unprecedented performance in the sector
Tests conducted at the Wissous site confirmed:
- CO₂ conversion up to three times higher than reference technologies;
- more than 25-fold yield improvement, with production reaching up to 25 kg of low-carbon methanol per kilogram of catalyst, compared with around 1 kg for conventional processes;
- units four times more compact than comparable solutions available elsewhere,
- A unique modular technology making competitive methanol for small, medium and large scale projects.
These results pave the way for smaller, less catalyst-intensive units that are far easier to industrialize.
low-carbon methanol production relies on a catalytic synthesis reaction between recycled CO₂ and low-carbon hydrogen.
This reaction converts these two inputs into synthetic methanol, or low-carbon methanol, which can be used either as a fuel or as a chemical intermediate. The industrial challenge lies in mastering this reaction to maximize efficiency while ensuring stability, safety, and performance. It is precisely on this critical point that KHIMOD’s technology delivers a decisive breakthrough.
A rapidly accelerating global market
This breakthrough comes at a time when demand for e-fuels is growing rapidly, driven by the decarbonization of hard-to-electrify sectors and evolving industrial uses :
- Maritime transport is increasingly turning to low-carbon methanol as a credible transition fuel, supported by growing investment from shipowners;
- Aviation is accelerating the rollout of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), some of which rely on methanol-based production pathways;
- The chemical industry, the largest consumer of fossil methanol, is seeking reliable low-carbon alternatives to reduce the footprint of its processes;
- European and international regulations are supporting the deployment of synthetic fuels by 2030, creating a favorable environment for modular and competitive technologies.
In this rapidly evolving landscape, the results achieved with THOR confirm that KHIMOD’s technology is well positioned to meet the needs of a fast-growing market and support the rise of low-carbon synthetic molecules.
This project validates an intuition that has guided our work for the past two years
“THOR played a crucial role in demonstrating, under real operating conditions, that our approach works in a stable and reproducible way. This project validates an intuition that has guided our work for the past two years: process intensification and exchanger optimization can allow us to cross a decisive threshold.”
— Eric Aubay, VP Flow Chemistry, KHIMOD
With THOR project, KHIMOD is reaching a major milestone
“With these patents and the results delivered by the THOR project, KHIMOD is reaching a major milestone. These field-proven performances enable us to move forward with industrialization confidently, while maintaining the rigor and high standards that define our development.”
– Nicolas Serrie, Président, KHIMOD
Industrialization underway
Building on these results, KHIMOD has entered an advanced industrialization phase. Two projects have recently been launched, reflecting the growing interest from industry players in high-performance, modular, and deployment-ready solutions. In June 2025, KHIMOD had already reached a key milestone by raising €23 million from the SPI fund (Bpifrance), Audacia’s industrial decarbonization fund, and its longstanding shareholder ALCEN.
This step confirms the confidence of major industrial and energy-transition stakeholders in KHIMOD’s ability to turn innovation into operational solutions for the aviation, maritime, energy, and chemical sectors.
