BMWE-Project: H2BioMeth

BMWE-Project H2BioMeth – Scale-up and demonstration of a catalytic reactor for the methanation of biogas and green SOEC hydrogen for the production and injection of synthetic biomethane

The aim of the BMWE H2BioMeth project is to scale up and demonstrate the catalytic methanation of biogas with hydrogen from SOEC electrolysis. For this purpose, a 100 kW methanation reactor is being constructed and operated at a biogas plant. By coupling it with existing laboratory plants, experience will be gained for scale-up. The integration of the reactor into a biogas plant will be optimized in order to produce synthetic methane that can be fed into the natural gas grid.

Support Code: 03EI5494

Term: 01.12.2025 – 30.11.2028

In the BMWK project H2BioMeth, the goal is to further develop and demonstrate an innovative, load-flexible methanation concept for the storage of renewable energy under real operating conditions. The massive expansion of wind and solar power generation increasingly leads to electricity surpluses that cannot yet be effectively utilized. While biogas plants already make an important contribution to grid-stabilizing, they are unable to directly store excess power. To harness this renewable power efficiently, chemical energy storage technologies are required that convert electricity into storable energy carriers such as methane.

Figure 1: Concept for biomethane production from SOEC hydrogen and CO2 via catalytic methanation at a biogas plant

The project addresses this challenge by converting green hydrogen from high-temperature electrolysis (SOEC) with CO2 from biogas or biomethane upgrading into synthetic methane (SNG). In this way, surplus renewable electricity can be stored in chemical form and utilized over the long term through the existing natural gas infrastructure. For this purpose, a 100 kW methanation reactor will be constructed and operated under real conditions at the site of a biomethane plant.

The core of the project is the concept of a heat pipe-cooled reactor with integrated steam generation developed in the previous project Power-to-Biogas. This concept enables precise temperature control even during rapid load changes and forms the basis for an electrically coupled, dynamically operated methanation process. By coupling the reactor with SOEC electrolysis, waste heat then can be used efficiently, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of the system.

 

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