CAIROS methanation plant with syngas and steam supply, producing renewable methane

Turning biomass into renewable gas

Renewable gas instead of fossil natural gas.

Wood residues, straw and other biomass can do more than just burn. We turn them into a gas that can be used just like natural gas.

Our product How it works

Putting CO₂ to good use

We turn a greenhouse gas into a valuable raw material.

Storable renewable energy

Our methane stores energy for the long term, regardless of weather or time of day.

For existing infrastructure

The methane we produce can be fed straight into the existing gas grid and used there.

For industry, mobility and heat

A climate-friendly solution for companies, cities and entire regions.

Solution 1

Biomass becomes renewable gas.

Wood residues, straw and other biogenic residues are converted into syngas in a gasification or pyrolysis plant. Our methanation converts the syngas with steam into a methane-rich gas. Once the CO₂ has been separated, the renewable gas can be fed into the existing gas grid and used in many ways.

Pile of wood chips in front of a hall — **Wood residues**e.g. forest residues, sawmill by-products

Row of straw bales in a field — **Agricultural residues**e.g. straw, harvest residues

Containerised gasification plant with a chimney — **Gasification / pyrolysis**Produces syngas (contains CO, H₂, CO₂, ...)

Small pile of biochar — **Gasification / pyrolysis**Produces syngas (contains CO, H₂, CO₂, ...)

Syngas

Containerised CAIROS methanation plant — **CAIROS methanation**Converts CO/CO₂ and H₂ into methane

CO₂ separation unit with tube bundles — **CO₂ separation**e.g. membrane separation or amine scrubbing

Yellow gas pipeline with a flame symbol — **Renewable gas**Injection into the gas grid

↔ Swipe sideways to see the whole process

Solution 2

Want a little more power in your gas?

Besides biomass syngas, our reactor can also convert CO₂-rich gases, biogas or other residual gases into renewable gas using renewable hydrogen (H₂). This solution increases the methane yield and allows direct injection into the gas grid without CO₂ separation, because grid quality is reached directly.

Gasification plant next to wood chips — **Biomass syngas**e.g. from gasification or pyrolysis

Biogas plant with a green dome — **Biogas**e.g. from biogas or sewage treatment plants

Industrial plant with two tanks — **CO₂-rich gases**e.g. from methanol fermentation

Wind turbines and solar panels — **Renewable electricity**

Containerised electrolyser — **Renewable hydrogen (H₂)**e.g. from electrolysis (wind and solar power, SOEC or PEM)

H₂

Renewable gas (CH₄)

Yellow gas pipeline in front of forest and mountains — **Direct injection into the gas grid**

↔ Swipe sideways to see the whole process

Our product

The 2 MW methanation plant.

A compact plant platform for renewable methane. Explore the five assemblies right in the CAD drawing.

CAD view of the 2 MW plant split into five assemblies: gas handling, reactor, heat management, control & safety, container & modular build.

Explore the assemblies

The plant at a glance

Click a number in the drawing or keep scrolling.Tap a number or keep scrolling.

Assembly 01[01/05]

Gas handling

Doses the input gases in the right quantities, controls the plant pressure and monitors trace contaminants.

Advantage: Flexible gas routing for different input streams.

Assembly 02[02/05]

Reactor

Thermal-oil-cooled catalytic tube bundle reactor. Controlled temperature management enables methanation and supports the conversion of complex gas mixtures.

Advantage: Precisely adjustable temperature profile, with a proven catalyst system.

Assembly 03[03/05]

Heat management

A thermal oil circuit, heat exchangers and a dry cooler remove the reaction heat and make it available for further use.

Advantage: Exothermic reaction heat removed in a controlled way and put to use.

Assembly 04[04/05]

Control & safety

Automated plant operation, measurement and control technology, and safety-related monitoring of the key operating parameters.

Advantage: Automated operation at decentralised sites.

Assembly 05[05/05]

Container & modular build

The process assemblies are housed in two 20-foot standard containers. Prefabrication makes transport, installation and maintenance easier.

Advantage: Standardised, modular and scalable design.

Our product

The 2 MW methanation plant

Renewable methane2,000 kWapprox. 210 Nm³/h

Usable heatup to 513 kWthermal output

Input gases

Gasification gas with H₂O or H₂
Pyrolysis gas with H₂O or H₂
Biogas with H₂
Sewage gas with H₂
CO₂ with H₂

DesignTwo 20-foot standard containersmodular build

All values in the data sheet

Data sheet

The 2 MW plant

Design values, calculated for one module producing 2 MW of renewable methane. Values at rated load, energy based on the lower heating value.

GeneralModule

Output: 2 MW renewable methane
Design: Two 20-foot standard containers, reactor and dry cooler outside
Reactor: Catalytic tube bundle reactor
Cooling: Thermal oil circuit
Catalyst: Nickel, commercially available
Components: Standardised
Operation: Automated
Expansion: Several modules can be combined, e.g. to 4 or 6 MW

Gas productionRated load

	Pyrolysis gasSolution 1	Biogas, sewage gasSolution 2	Captured CO₂Solution 2
Input gas	764 Nm³/h599 kg/h2,482 kW	199 Nm³/h242 kg/h1,189 kW	196 Nm³/h385 kg/h
Hydrogen from electrolysis	not required	325 Nm³/h29 kg/h972 kW	799 Nm³/h72 kg/h2,391 kW
Renewable methane	206 Nm³/h159 kg/h2,000 kW	207 Nm³/h144 kg/h2,000 kW	216 Nm³/h144 kg/h2,000 kW
CO₂ in off-gas	225 Nm³/h441 kg/h	none	none
Water	–	127 kg/h	314 kg/h
Usable heat	401 kW	208 kW	513 kW

Pyrolysis gas Solution 1

Input gas: 764 Nm³/h · 599 kg/h · 2,482 kW
Hydrogen from electrolysis: not required
Renewable methane: 206 Nm³/h · 159 kg/h · 2,000 kW
CO₂ in off-gas: 225 Nm³/h · 441 kg/h
Water: –
Usable heat: 401 kW

Biogas, sewage gas Solution 2

Input gas: 199 Nm³/h · 242 kg/h · 1,189 kW
Hydrogen from electrolysis: 325 Nm³/h · 29 kg/h · 972 kW
Renewable methane: 207 Nm³/h · 144 kg/h · 2,000 kW
CO₂ in off-gas: none
Water: 127 kg/h
Usable heat: 208 kW

Captured CO₂ Solution 2

Input gas: 196 Nm³/h · 385 kg/h
Hydrogen from electrolysis: 799 Nm³/h · 72 kg/h · 2,391 kW
Renewable methane: 216 Nm³/h · 144 kg/h · 2,000 kW
CO₂ in off-gas: none
Water: 314 kg/h
Usable heat: 513 kW

Calculated design values. So far, Solution 2 has been demonstrated at the 200 kW pilot plant. Nm³: normal cubic metres.

Proven in real operation

200 kW pilot plant in Bruck an der Leitha.

Our pilot plant in Bruck an der Leitha, Austria, showed that catalytic methanation also works in an industrial setting. There we produced renewable methane from biogas and additional hydrogen, an important step towards commercial deployment.

Pilot plant: 200 kW
Real-world site: Industrial
Gas quality tested: Grid quality

See the pilot plant

The CAIROS 200 kW pilot plant in Bruck an der Leitha: a container with process equipment and insulated pipework on the roof

Inside the pilot plant

Close photos

Our team

Technology. Experience. Passion.

Three areas of expertise, one goal: bringing renewable methane from research into industrial use.

Dr. Andreas Krammer

Corporate strategy and reactor development

DI Martin Peham

Plant construction & engineering

Nikolas Andriopoulos

Business development & partnerships

Our vision

Renewable energy for a future worth living.

We want to use the full potential of biomass and make an important contribution to a climate-neutral and independent energy supply: regional, economical and sustainable.

Talk to us

Renewable gas instead of fossil natural gas.

Putting CO₂ to good use

Storable renewable energy

For existing infrastructure

For industry, mobility and heat

Biomass becomes renewable gas.

Want a little more power in your gas?

The 2 MW methanation plant.

The plant at a glance

Gas handling

Reactor

Heat management

Control & safety

Container & modular build

The 2 MW methanation plant

The 2 MW plant

Pyrolysis gas Solution 1

Biogas, sewage gas Solution 2

Captured CO₂ Solution 2

200 kW pilot plant in Bruck an der Leitha.

Inside the pilot plant

Technology. Experience. Passion.

Dr. Andreas Krammer

DI Martin Peham

Nikolas Andriopoulos

Renewable energy for a future worth living.

Funded and supported by