Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 19, HyOrc, a U.S.-based developer of modular green fuel technologies, has signed a definitive joint venture (JV) agreement with Start, a Portugal-based waste infrastructure and fuels company, to co-develop and operate a network of green methanol plants in Portugal. The projects will use HyOrc’s proprietary RDF-to-methanol technology.

The JV will begin with a 35 tons per day (TPD) launch unit in Porto, producing 8 TPD of methanol. Following this, the plan is to expand to five full-scale facilities, each designed to process 300 TPD of municipal waste in the form of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and produce 80 TPD of green methanol. According to HyOrc, the full platform of five sites, expected to be developed over a 10-year period, could generate revenues exceeding $3.25 billion.

The venture will be structured as a 50-50 equity partnership. HyOrc will provide gasifiers, methanol technology, and project leadership, while Start will contribute land, permitting, and local infrastructure. HyOrc will retain intellectual property (IP) rights and appoint the JV’s managing director.

Reginald Fubara, CEO of HyOrc, stated: “This is not a pilot — it’s a platform. With strong economics, scalable design, and local execution capacity, we are laying the groundwork for Europe’s first circular methanol backbone.” His remarks emphasized the project’s role in establishing a long-term production base for green methanol.

Ricardo Mota, CEO of Start, said: “This agreement will transform how waste is managed in Portugal. Together with HyOrc, we will turn a national RDF liability into a decarbonization asset.” His comment highlighted the environmental and industrial potential of converting waste into green fuel.

Earlier in 2025, HyOrc and Start signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a 25,000 ton per annum (TPA) green methanol production facility in Porto. That initial agreement laid the foundation for the new joint venture.

At that time, Andrea Magalini, HyOrc’s Director of Business Development, remarked: “We are systematically identifying the right locations to anchor a scalable supply chain for green fuels that can serve maritime, industrial, and transport applications for decades to come.”

Through this collaboration, HyOrc and Start aim to create a sustainable and commercially viable model for green methanol production in Portugal. The JV combines HyOrc’s technological expertise with Start’s local resources and infrastructure, creating the conditions for an innovative waste-to-fuel network.