BioMeth - Innovative process for direct biogas upgrading to biomethanol

Power-to-liquid without power?

Biogas applications have great potential to make an important contribution to Switzerland's Energy Strategy 2050. However, some challenges such as the processing of biogas and problems associated with transport to remote locations prevent the potential from being fully utilised. In particular, power-to-liquid technologies, which provide bioenergy with high energy density, can be used to convert gas into liquid fuels, thereby circumventing these problems. However, most of these technologies require additional H2 infrastructure, electrolysers and challenging operating conditions such as high temperatures and pressures. Bio-based methanol is an attractive platform chemical to replace fossil products, be it in chemistry or for combustion processes and even for aviation fuels or electrochemical applications such as fuel cells. In addition, bio-based fuels emit less SOx, NOx and particulate matter during combustion. However, most processes today require electrical energy to provide hydrogen, which is then converted into methanol with CO2 at high pressure and temperature.

Our project

This project proposes a novel technology to convert biogas directly into biomethanol without the need for H2 or H2 infrastructure, such as expensive electrolysers, and under very mild operating conditions. A further advantage of the process is that the CO2 usually emitted from bioprocesses can be utilised and thus represents a CO2 sink.