MHI pilot plant achieves 99.5% bioethanol purity

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has announced that its pilot plant at the Nagasaki District Research & Innovation Center achieved the target ethanol purity of over 99.5vol%, meeting domestic fuel standards and demonstrating the MMDS® dehydration process.

• Main announcement/action: MHI reports the pilot plant for MMDS® (Mitsubishi Membrane Dehydration System) achieved >99.5vol% ethanol purity; the system replaces conventional dehydration with a molecular sieve separation method, and MHI states it reduced energy consumption by over 30% and enabled compact equipment design.
• Background and next steps: Based on element tests at the pilot plant, MHI will accelerate development toward construction of a demonstration plant for an early launch; MHI will exhibit MMDS® at INCHEM TOKYO 2025 (September 17–19, 2025) at Tokyo Big Sight, East Exhibition Hall, Booth 5-SP03.