Clean Energy Technologies launches biomass platform to boost AD output

Clean Energy Technologies has announced the launch of a dedicated platform designed to increase renewable natural gas (RNG) production at anaerobic digestion facilities whilst converting digestate into valuable biochar.
The California-based clean energy technology company has unveiled the HTAP-based solution, which integrates with existing and planned anaerobic digestion (AD) and RNG facilities to address key industry limitations.
Many AD plants face biogas output constraints due to the low biodegradability of certain organic feedstocks.
CETY's High Temperature Ablative Pyrolysis (HTAP) technology thermochemically converts forestry residues, agricultural waste and other non-food biomass inputs into clean syngas.
When paired with anaerobic or catalytic methanation systems, this syngas can be upgraded to pipeline-quality RNG.
According to the company, a single HTAP unit producing 1,500 Nm³/hour of syngas can support production equivalent to approximately 13 MMBtu/hour of additional RNG, placing one HTAP system between a medium- and large-scale AD facility in terms of incremental output.
The platform also tackles a growing challenge for the industry: digestate management.
Digestate can contain more than 55% of unprocessed volatile solids, requiring lengthy composting periods and incurring significant handling costs.
CETY's technology thermochemically converts digestate into syngas - supporting up to 1.3–1.6 MW of onsite power or up to 8 MMBtu/hour of supplementary RNG - and into biochar for agricultural or industrial applications.
Alexander Skorokhodov, Director of Technology at CETY, commented: "Anaerobic digestion is a proven pathway for renewable gas, but digestibility limits and digestate handling costs restrict its full potential.
"HTAP unlocks the remaining energy in hard-to-digest biomass and converts digestate into clean energy and biochar. This enables AD operators to potentially expand RNG output whilst improving environmental and economic performance."
The company estimates that with voluntary and compliance RNG markets ranging from $25 to $35 per MMBtu, the combined HTAP AD platform could generate more than $3 million per year in incremental RNG value from a single commercial installation, depending on feedstock, design scale, regional markets and regulatory approvals.
This figure excludes potential biochar value and avoided digestate management costs.
Biochar produced through the process can offer carbon stability, pathogen elimination, improved soil conditioning characteristics, and eligibility for carbon sequestration credits, subject to certification.