A four-year Horizon Europe research project has demonstrated a process that converts raw biogas into hydrogen and solid carbon, with results suggesting the technology could produce renewable hydrogen more efficiently than water electrolysis.
The TITAN project, due to close formally on 31 August 2026, used microwave energy to convert biogas into a hydrogen-rich gas and solid carbon materials in a single integrated system, reducing the need for additional gas treatment and separation steps.
The technology was validated at Technology Readiness Level 5, achieving methane conversion rates above 85% with consistent performance across repeated operating cycles.
The solid carbon produced forms an iron-carbon material that was assessed for agricultural and carbon storage applications.
Studies found no significant negative effects on soil microorganisms and fauna, and carbon tracing techniques indicated very limited breakdown of the material in soil — suggesting strong potential for long-term carbon sequestration.
On energy efficiency, TITAN produced between 51 and 57 grams of hydrogen per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed, compared with approximately 20 grams per kilowatt-hour for water electrolysis.
At large scale, the project estimated hydrogen production costs of around €4.50 per kilogram, falling to approximately €3.90 per kilogram in locations with low-cost electricity.
The project's roadmap suggests the technology could enable production of up to 0.6 million tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2030, rising to nearly 4 million tonnes annually from 2045, with cumulative greenhouse gas savings potentially reaching 237 million tonnes of CO2 by that date.
The project identified several policy steps needed to support commercial deployment, including recognition of biohydrogen as renewable hydrogen within EU legislation and regulatory frameworks governing the agricultural use and storage of solid carbon materials.
Project coordinator Dr David Farrusseng said the results provided a strong foundation for further scale-up and demonstrated how biogas resources could contribute to Europe's climate and energy objectives.
Horizon Europe project validates biogas-to-hydrogen technology
