Big news for the Power-to-X community: Switzerland just took an important step toward making renewable methanol easier to use — and still safe.
The Swiss Power-to-X Collaborative Innovation Network (SPIN), together with its members, the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), and Powerloop, has finalized a set of consolidated safety standards for handling methanol. These new standards define best practices for producing, storing, and processing methanol, ensuring that companies across Switzerland follow the same clear and reliable rules.
Why does this matter? Because renewable methanol is one of the key building blocks of the Power-to-X revolution. It can be used to produce synthetic fuels and energy carriers that help reduce fossil dependence and cut emissions in hard-to-electrify sectors like transport and industry.
Thanks to these unified safety rules — and the industry’s voluntary commitment to apply them — the threshold limit for methanol in Switzerland’s Major Accidents Ordinance has now been raised from 2 tonnes to 20 tonnes (effective October 1, 2025). This means fewer administrative hurdles for companies, faster implementation of Power-to-X projects, and no compromise on safety for people or the environment.
The new safety framework covers everything from training and protective equipment to storage, fire protection, and emergency response. It was developed in close collaboration with authorities and experts, ensuring it’s both practical and future-proof.
They can be downloaded here (in German)
By leading this initiative, SPIN once again demonstrates how collaboration and innovation can make Power-to-X a cornerstone of Switzerland’s sustainable energy transition.