Renewable energy technology firm Vast Renewables Limited has received planning consent for its Solar Methanol 1 (SM1) project in Port Augusta, South Australia. The SM1 facility aims to produce 7,500 tonnes of green methanol annually, leveraging Vast's CSP technology for zero-carbon electricity and industrial process heat. This project, in collaboration with Mabanaft GmbH & Co. KG, focuses on green methanol production to reduce the shipping industry's carbon footprint. By integrating proven technologies like the Leilac calcination plant and electrolysis to produce hydrogen, SM1 aligns with South Australia's hydrogen industry development goals. The project, powered by the VS1 CSP plant, received funding from ARENA and Projektträger Jülich as part of the HyGATE initiative. Stakeholders emphasize the scalability and significance of SM1, expecting it to drive decarbonization in the maritime industry and potentially expand to serve global markets.