A new system can make pure green fuel using ten times less pressure than current technology.
April 3, 2026
Original Paper
Producing high CH4-content (>95%) biogas without external hydrogen addition and with minimal CH4 loss
SSRN · 6508144
The Takeaway
Producing high-quality biomethane usually requires extreme, energy-intensive pressure, but scientists found a way to hit 95% purity at a fraction of the cost. By recycling gas between two stages, they’ve made on-site renewable fuel production economically viable for the first time.
From the abstract
Producing high-CH4 content biogas directly from anaerobic digesters can reduce burdens in the upgrading process, either by supplying external H2 or by using high-pressure digestion. However, these processes face challenges, including high H2 costs and significant CH4 losses to the digestate. Therefore, this study proposes a two-stage high-pressure digestion (2St-HPD) system comprising high-pressure dark fermentation (HPDF) followed by high-pressure anaerobic digestion (HPAD), in which H2-rich ga