The primary goal of the European ELECTROMET project is to design, validate and operate an innovative technology for producing renewable methane on a semi-industrial scale through the direct electroreduction of CO₂. This research, led by CTC and involving partners from five different countries, aims to facilitate the integration of this fuel into the gas market and advance towards a decarbonised energy system.
The headquarters of CTC was chosen as the venue for the first in-person meeting of the project, which officially began last December. This progress meeting provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen relationships within the consortium and to conduct a comprehensive review of the progress made so far. Representatives from the universities of Turín, Porto and Cantabria , as well as from the companies Ecodualba, Draxis, Nortegas and Envitec Biogas, participated in this work session.
During the first six months of the project, ELECTROMET’s primary objective has been to develop three innovative catalysts for converting CO₂ into renewable methane. Verónica González de Lena, Manager of the Industry and Energy area, explained how CTC is working on the formulation of an innovative catalyst based on functionalised graphene quantum dots (Graphene Quantum Dots).
This development, along with two others led by the Technical University of Turin (Politecnico di Torino) and the University of Porto, forms the first phase of the initiative, which in its final stage will involve the implementation of a semi-industrial pilot plant. Equipped with Net Zero CO₂ technology, which ensures zero environmental impact, this pilot project will be conducted at Ecodualba’s facilities, located in Arenas de Iguña.
Creating a robust digital twin of the pilot to enhance design, optimisation and scaling of the technology, along with formulating a roadmap for implementing the ELECTROMET solution, completes the list of global objectives for this 36-month research project.
The day’s agenda concluded with a visit to CTC’s laboratories, where the catalyst synthesis is being carried out, and to the University of Cantabria, where the results from this initial phase will be scaled up..
With a budget of over €1.5 million, this research is funded by CETPartnership under the Joint Call 2023. CETPartnership research projects receive co-funding from the European Commission (Grant Agreement No. 101069750) and various national funding organisations, details of which can be found on the CETPartnership website.
Biomethane emerges as a powerful ally in decarbonisation, offering an effective solution to waste management challenges and promoting the circular economy. Although the biomethane market is still in its early stages, Spain holds significant potential for its development. In its ‘Study of biomethane production capacity in Spain’, the Spanish Gas Association (Sedigas) forecasts that Spain could potentially produce over 163 TWh of biomethane annually. This projection positions Spain as the fourth leading country in Europe in terms of biomethane production potential, largely due to the significant contributions of the food, agriculture and livestock sectors.
