BioFleCCS

CDR upgrade for biogas plants to biorefineries: Innovative CCS technologies and steam methane reforming for the flexible production of negative emissions, biohydrogen, biomethane, electricity and heat.

The objective of BioFleCCS is to unleash the huge potential of biogas plants to generate negative greenhouse gas emissions at comparably low costs in the near future. In BioFleCCS, we develop a biorefinery concept for the flexible production of electricity, heat and biogenic CO₂ for negative emissions or, depending on the market needs, biohydrogen and biogenic CO₂ for negative emissions.

Project management

M.Sc. Sonja Ziehn
Fraunhofer IPA

Projekt duration

01.03.2026-28.02.2029

Project partner

Dr.-Ing. Hans-Peter Schmid, WS Reformer GmbH|PD Dr. habil. Andreas Lemmer, Dr.-Ing. Anastasia Oskina, Universität Hohenheim – Landesanstalt für Agrartechnik und Bioenergie (LAAB)|M.Sc. Edgar Gamero, Universität Stuttgart

Project goals

In the project BioFleCCS, we want to tackle the following challenges to unleash the huge Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) potential of biogas plants in Germany:

Challenge # 1: CDR needs to be scaled up – quickly, massively and globally.

Our idea: We use existing infrastructure for a quick and low-cost CDR implementation. Existing biogas plants are a massive source of biogenic carbon dioxide which is, by far, not efficiently used for the generation of negative emissions yet. In Germany alone, there are almost 10,000 biogas plants in operation. However, the BioFleCCS concept is applicable worldwide.

Challenge # 2: How can the huge amount of biogenic CO₂ from existing biogas plants be made available for the generation of negative emissions?

Our idea: Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a proven technology that uses biogas or biomethane (CH4) from biogas plants to produce biohydrogen (H2) and biogenic CO₂. SMR thus releases the carbon, otherwise “lost” in the biomethane (“C” in CH4), for carbon capture. We will develop an efficient carbon capture system for biogas SMR units. Furthermore, the project partners developed an innovative idea that allows a nearly 100 % carbon capture rate. The total annual potential is 5 – 6 MtCO₂ of negative emissions in Germany, corresponding to 15 % of its residual greenhouse gas emissions in 2045.

Challenge # 3: Biogas plants play an important role in the present and future energy market in Germany, supplying sustainable heat and power and balancing out fluctuating renewable energy sources. A static modification of existing biogas plants with SMR to biohydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) plants is thus not desirable.

Our approach: We developed the idea of a flexible operating model for biogas plants to flexibly supply biogenic CO₂ for negative emissions and (a) electricity and heat or (b) biohydrogen, depending on the market needs. We call this flexible, bio-based CDR approach BioFleCCS.

Challenge # 4: Will it work?

Our approach: We first simulate the overall biorefinery and optimize it. We then use the existing infrastructure at the University of Hohenheim and extend it with a SMR unit from WS Reformer. There we can test and improve the innovations and undertake the proof of concept. The universities of Hohenheim and Stuttgart bring in the expertise in simulation and in experimental work. WS Reformer supplies the SMR innovations. The University of Hohenheim furthermore develops and tests an efficient carbon capture system for biogenic gas mixtures.

Challenge # 5: Is the BioFleCCS concept environmentally and economically feasible?

Our approach: We will evaluate the BioFleCCS concept from an ecological, economic and social perspective. We furthermore compare BioFleCCS with existing alternatives for biogas plants to establish comparability between the competing technologies. Fraunhofer IPA brings in the expertise in holistic sustainability assessment, market integration and business model development.