Empa's move-MEGA: Synthesizing Methane for Sustainable Energy Transition
Key Ideas
  • Empa's move-MEGA plant produces methane from renewable hydrogen and CO₂, enhancing load flexibility crucial for using fluctuating renewable electricity sources.
  • The plant utilizes sorption-enhanced methanation with zeolite pellets, allowing lower pressures and temperatures, high conversion rates, and greater load flexibility.
  • Integration of Direct-Air-Capture (DAC) unit enables sourcing CO₂ from ambient air, paving the way for negative CO₂ emissions and methane pyrolysis for solid carbon and hydrogen production.
  • The move-MEGA project contributes to the energy transition by combining renewable energy supply with permanent CO₂ removal, fostering sustainable energy production and climate protection.
Empa's move-MEGA plant focuses on synthesizing methane from renewable hydrogen and CO₂ to enhance load flexibility for utilizing fluctuating renewable electricity sources. The plant incorporates sorption-enhanced methanation with zeolite pellets, allowing for efficient methane production at lower pressures and temperatures. The process involves a sophisticated thermal management system with alternating reactors for continuous operation. The integration of a Direct-Air-Capture (DAC) unit enables sourcing CO₂ from ambient air, facilitating negative CO₂ emissions and the production of solid carbon and hydrogen through methane pyrolysis. This unique approach offers a pathway to combining renewable energy supply with permanent CO₂ removal, contributing to sustainable energy production and climate protection. Supported by various partners, the move-MEGA project signifies a step towards achieving a more sustainable energy transition.
ADVANCEH2

Our vision is to be the world's leading online platform for advancing the use of hydrogen as a critical piece needed to deliver net-zero initiatives and the promise of a clean H2 energy future.

© 2025 AdvanceH2, LLC. All rights reserved.