Electrochaea is commercializing a scalable biomethanation technology, which turns renewable energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) into renewable methane as replacement for fossil gas. The renewable nature of the product depends on available biogenic sources of CO2 and renewable energy for generation of hydrogen used in reduction of the CO2 into methane. The biomethanation process deploys a highly productive microorganism strain (a methanogenic Archaea) and provides advantages over thermo-chemical methanation processes due to its flexibility for duty cycle, its tolerance for contaminants and lower operating temperature and capital costs. Market drivers for the renewable gas production are the need to decarbonize the gas grid, transport sector and power infrastructure. Data from a pilot plant near Copenhagen, Denmark, will be presented showing the scaling from 1 liter to a 3800 liter methanation bioreactor and 1MWe electrolyzer for hydrogen production, including energy balance, product yield and gas quality for the pilot reactor . The pilot system operates with either raw biogas or CO2 inputs for the CO2 source achieving an efficiency of 60% energy storage in the methane product. The product gas quality exceeds 97% methane, with consistent product quality through multiple and frequent on-off-cycles, and turndown of up to 80%. Heat is recovered from this exothermic process and is integrated into the site wastewater treatment plant heating system, offsetting energy use from other sources and improving the overall system energy balance.

Renewable methane from green energy and CO2: Commercial-scale solution to decarbonize our planet with biological methanation

2019 Fall National Meeting

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