Investigating Methanogenic Cellular Responses to Industrial Biomethanation using Scale-down and Systems Biology Approaches

Objective

Europe has pledged to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy. However, the intermittency of renewable energy sources presents a major challenge, requiring energy storage solutions. The power-to-gas (PtG) platform addresses this by converting surplus renewable electricity into hydrogen (H2) via water electrolysis. While H2 is a promising carbon-free fuel, its limited compatibility with existing natural gas infrastructure restricts its direct use. An alternative is biomethanation, where H2 and carbon dioxide are biologically converted into methane by methanogens, enabling integration into established gas grids. Electrochaea GmbH is commercializing PtG-biomethanation using Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus. Despite successful pilot deployments, scaling biomethanation to industrial levels remains challenging due to bioreactor heterogeneities and fluctuating H2 availability. METH-SCALE aims to improve biomethanation by studying the methanogenic cellular response of heterogeneous bioreactors and intermittent substrate availability. METH-SCALE will 1) develop a lab-scale platform that mimics industrial biomethanation conditions, 2) evolve M. thermautotrophicus ΔH under intermittent H2 supply, and 3) characterize and model the adaptations to generate predictive insights and scalable solutions for industrial-scale biomethanation. METH-SCALE will use computational fluid dynamics, bioreactors, multi-omics, and kinetic modelling to uncover stress-response mechanisms, energy and redox balancing, memory effects, and potential genomic changes. These insights will inform strategies for strain improvement and bioprocess optimization, enhancing biomethanation efficiency and stability. The industry-engaged supervisory team will ensure translational relevance and support contributions toward meeting the European Climate Law’s 2050 climate neutrality target.