Bio-HyPP · Project

Hybrid Biogas Power Plant Reaching 60% Electrical Efficiency for Decentralized Energy

energyPrototypeTRL 4

Imagine combining two different engines — a small gas turbine and a fuel cell — and running them together on biogas from farm waste or food scraps. Each one alone is decent, but together they push electrical efficiency past 60%, which is extraordinary for small-scale power plants. The system can also handle biogas of varying quality, so you don't need perfectly processed fuel. Think of it as a Swiss Army knife for turning organic waste into both electricity and heat at the same time.

By the numbers

>60%

Electrical efficiency target at base load

>90%

Total thermal efficiency target at base load

25-100%

Operational flexibility range for electric power

<10 ppm

NOx emission target

<20 ppm

CO emission target at 15% vol. residual oxygen

40-75%

Methane content range in biogas the system can handle

>15%

Internal rate of return target over 20 years

70%

Industry partners in consortium

Consortium partners across 4 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Biogas plant operators are stuck with conventional CHP engines that convert only 35-42% of their fuel into electricity, wasting most of the energy content. At the same time, varying biogas quality from different feedstocks forces operators to either pre-treat their gas expensively or accept even lower performance. There is a clear need for a flexible, high-efficiency power system that can handle real-world biogas quality variations while dramatically improving the economics of biogas-to-energy conversion.

The solution

What was built

The project built a full-scale technology demonstrator combining a micro gas turbine (MGT) with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) running on biogas, including an optimized combustor prototype, a new high-efficiency electrical drive, upgraded hybrid system emulation rigs, and an integrated control system. Key hardware deliverables included the SOFC technology demonstrator, the hybrid power plant emulator with optimized components, and the fully coupled MGT-SOFC system tested in lab conditions.

Audience

Who needs this

Biogas plant operators looking to significantly boost electrical efficiency beyond conventional CHP enginesOrganic waste management companies seeking better energy recovery from variable-quality biogasEnergy utilities developing decentralized or microgrid power solutions with flexible outputAgricultural cooperatives operating anaerobic digesters that produce biogas of varying methane contentIndustrial heat users who need both reliable electricity and process heat from a single fuel source

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Biogas plant operations

SME

Target: Biogas plant operators and developers

If you are a biogas plant operator dealing with low electrical efficiency from conventional CHP engines — this project developed a hybrid power plant combining a micro gas turbine and solid oxide fuel cell that targets more than 60% electrical efficiency and more than 90% total thermal efficiency. The system handles biogas with methane contents from 40-75%, meaning you can process a wider range of feedstock without worrying about gas quality. Emissions stay below 10 ppm NOx and 20 ppm CO.

Waste management and recycling

mid-size

Target: Organic waste processors and landfill operators

If you are a waste management company looking to generate more revenue from biogas produced at your facilities — this project built a technology demonstrator that works with variable-quality biogas covering the full biomass feedstock range. The operational flexibility from 25% to 100% electric power means you can match output to demand or gas availability. The thermo-economic analysis targeted an internal rate of return higher than 15% over 20 years.

Distributed energy systems

enterprise

Target: Energy utilities and microgrid developers

If you are an energy company exploring decentralized generation that can flex with demand — this project demonstrated a combined heat and power system with 25% to 100% operational flexibility on electric power output. The hybrid design achieves more than 90% total thermal efficiency, making it viable for district heating or industrial process heat. With 10 consortium partners including 7 from industry across 4 countries, the technology has been validated by multiple equipment manufacturers.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would a system like this cost, and what is the expected return on investment?

The project performed a thermo-economic analysis targeting an internal rate of return (IRR) higher than 15% over 20 years. Specific system costs were not published in the available data, but the cost reduction analysis was a core deliverable. Based on available project data, commercial pricing would depend on scale-up from the current lab demonstrator.

Can this technology work at industrial scale, or is it still laboratory-only?

The project built a full-scale technology demonstrator in a lab environment, targeting TRL 4 (technology validated in lab). This means the core concept works and has been tested with real hardware — a micro gas turbine coupled with a solid oxide fuel cell — but it has not yet been deployed at an operational biogas plant. Further engineering and field testing would be needed before commercial installation.

Who owns the intellectual property, and can I license it?

The consortium of 10 partners across Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK developed this technology under an EU Research and Innovation Action. IP is typically shared among consortium members according to their contributions. The coordinator, DLR (German Aerospace Center), would be the first point of contact for licensing discussions.

What types of biogas can this system actually handle?

The system was designed to work with biogas containing methane levels from 40% to 75%. This covers the full range of biogas qualities produced from different biomass feedstocks — from wastewater treatment gas at the low end to well-optimized agricultural digesters at the high end. This flexibility is a key advantage over conventional systems that require consistent fuel quality.

How does the efficiency compare to what's currently on the market?

The project targets more than 60% electrical efficiency and more than 90% total thermal efficiency at base load. For comparison, conventional biogas CHP engines typically achieve 35-42% electrical efficiency. The hybrid approach of combining a micro gas turbine with a solid oxide fuel cell is what enables this significant jump in performance.

What are the emission levels?

The system targets emissions below 10 ppm NOx and below 20 ppm CO at 15% volume residual oxygen. These are very low figures that would meet or exceed most European emission regulations for distributed power generation. This was validated through combustor prototype testing as part of the project deliverables.

How long until this could be commercially available?

The project ended in December 2019 at TRL 4 (validated in lab). Moving from lab validation to a commercial product typically requires field pilots (TRL 5-7) and then manufacturing scale-up (TRL 8-9). Based on available project data, commercial deployment would likely require additional development and investment beyond what this project covered.

Consortium

Who built it

The Bio-HyPP consortium is heavily industry-driven with 7 out of 10 partners from industry (70%), including 4 SMEs, alongside 2 universities and 1 research organization. The coordinator is DLR, Germany's national aerospace and energy research center, which brings deep expertise in gas turbine and fuel cell systems. Partners span 4 countries — Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK — covering major European biogas markets. The high industry ratio suggests strong commercial interest and practical grounding, though the project remained at lab-scale demonstration (TRL 4). For a business looking to adopt this technology, the consortium's breadth means multiple potential suppliers and integrators already familiar with the system.

DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EVCoordinator · DE
SUNFIRE GMBHparticipant · DE
MICRO TURBINE TECHNOLOGY BVparticipant · NL
RINA CONSULTING SPAparticipant · IT
GASTERRA BVparticipant · NL
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI GENOVAparticipant · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVENparticipant · NL
RINA CONSULTING - CENTRO SVILUPPO MATERIALI SPAthirdparty · IT

How to reach the team

DLR (German Aerospace Center) in Germany coordinated this project. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the research team.

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how this hybrid biogas technology could fit your energy operations? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the Bio-HyPP research team and help assess applicability to your specific setup.

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