Biomethanation & Methanogenesis

Since 2012 we optimise the process of biological methanation by harnessing the power of naturally occurring microbes, namely archaea. These smart little creatures are able to form methane (CH4) by consuming only hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). In fact. the basic reaction of the archaea is analogous to the chemical “Sabatier process” :
Balance CO2 (g) + 4H2 (g) --> CH4 + 2 H2O
Molar 1  mol 4  mol 1 mol 2 mol
Volumetric 1 Nm3 4 Nm3 1 Nm3
Mass 2.75 kg 0.5 kg 1 kg 2.25 kg
Energy (HHV) 0 kWh 14.16 kWh 11.06 kWh 0 kWh

Biomethane production through biomethanation and methanogenesis

Our process is a CO2 based biological methanation process (CO2-BMP) which uses archaea microorganisms as biological catalysts to perform a carbon activation and methanation reaction which converts hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) directly into methane (CH4), water (H2O), energy and biomass (the biocatalyst and/or additional product).

In this bioprocess, the only carbon source fed to the bioreactor is CO2 and the biocatalyst “eats” it while breathing H2 to self replicate by exhaling CH4 and water . The bioprocess is operated using a defined, cheap and sustainable, medium containing few inorganic salts and the bioprocess can be operated either continuously or intermittently.

The process offers competitive advantages in comparison with the traditional chemical Sabatier process as well as the possibility to integrate additional valorisation lines to biological products with the selection of project specific gas converting hosts. Additionally, this process platform is highly compatible with most pollutants found in several real industrial gas streams.

The technology can be deployed in various industrial or decentralized frames where hydrogen and/or CO2 are available by insourcing from us a B2B process license and the appropriate technology transfer package designed to suit your needs. Once the process is deployed, we assist you with automation, up and down stream integration to fit purity or specific operational requirements and continue with your operators training.

Industrial  applications

  • Raw biogas upgrade to increase biomethane yield of biogas plants
  • Power to gas for storage of renewable electricity and grid balancing services
  • Production of carbon-neutral natural gas directly from your CO2 emissions
  • Valorisation of waste Hydrogen streams e.g. from the steel or chemical industry
  • Decentralized energy storage solution compatible with the summer-to-winter renewable electricity bridge
  • Intermediate production of methane (high quality) for subsequent synthesis of value-added products (i.e. green methane chemistry)
  • Process vector for Industrial optimization of energy integrations and carbon footprint of your production lines

Process Advantages

  • Mild operating conditions
  • High volumetric production and conversion rates
  • High selectivity - tunable selectivities towards products (>95%)
  • Stable, Adaptative & Autonomously controlled
  • Tolerance against a wide range of impurities
  • Compatible with retrofitting of existing chemical reactors
  • Single-step vs multi-step reaction/conversion process designs (optimized to your needs)
  • Auto-biocatalytic process (catalyst renewing itself and being a product)
  • Tunable operational purities depending on your needs (Process flexibility)
  • Low media demands, CO2 = sole carbon source
  • Sustainable “green” process (REACH compliant)
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FAQ

What is biomethanation?
Biomethanation is a natural way to make methane. It is a process that uses archaea (microbes) to turn CO₂ and hydrogen into methane and water: CO₂ + 4H₂ → CH₄ + 2H₂O. It runs under mild conditions and can be continuous or stop-and-start. It is useful to upgrade biogas, reuse CO₂ and waste hydrogen, and store renewable energy as methane.
What is the process of biological methanation (CO₂-BMP)?
CO₂-BMP is a microbe-powered process where CO₂ is the carbon input and hydrogen is the energy source. The microbes “eat” CO₂ and “breathe” H₂, producing methane and water while renewing themselves. It uses a simple mineral medium and can operate steady or on/off to match CO₂ and hydrogen supply.
What is Biomethane production from CO₂ and H₂?
Biomethane production converts available CO₂ and H₂ directly into pipeline-grade methane via archaea. The process operates at mild conditions, achieves high selectivity (>95% reported), and can be tuned for required product purities. It supports decentralized or industrial setups wherever suitable CO₂ and hydrogen streams are accessible.
Where can the technology be applied?
Typical applications include raw biogas upgrading, power-to-gas for renewable storage and grid balancing, carbon-neutral natural gas from emitted CO₂, valorisation of waste H₂ in steel or chemical sites, seasonal energy storage, intermediate CH₄ for downstream synthesis, and process vectors for energy integration and carbon-footprint optimisation.
How is the technology delivered and supported?
Industrial or decentralized use proceeds via a B2B process license and a technology-transfer package tailored to the project. After deployment, support includes automation, upstream/downstream integration to meet purity or operational requirements, and operator training to stabilize performance over time within the selected configuration.