New research and development centre in Jyväskylä to explore renewable methane production from carbon dioxide and hydrogen

Reduciner is establishing a research and development centre at Mustankorkea's site in Jyväskylä to test and validate its technology. In connection with the centre, Reduciner, Mustankorkea and Cefmof Hydrogen will carry out a methanation pilot to explore the production of renewable methane from carbon dioxide generated in Mustankorkea's biogas production and hydrogen produced by Cefmof Hydrogen in Jyväskylä. Business Finland is funding the research project carried out at the R&D centre.

Reduciner develops technology that converts captured CO₂ and bio-based carbon feedstocks into renewable syngas and activated carbon. In the process, CO₂ is converted into carbon monoxide, which can be used as a fuel or as a feedstock for producing renewable hydrocarbons, such as methane and methanol. The technology creates new pathways for industry to replace fossil inputs and turn CO₂ into valuable products.

Reduciner is establishing a research and development centre at Mustankorkea's site in Jyväskylä, where the company will test and validate its technology in a larger and more industrially relevant operating environment. The centre will be used to study the performance of the process, different feedstocks, and the properties and quality of the end products. It will take the technology developed at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland from the laboratory and research stage towards its first commercial applications. The joint methanation pilot by Reduciner, Mustankorkea and Cefmof Hydrogen will form part of the centre's activities.

"The R&D centre we are planning is still relatively small in scale, but for Reduciner it represents a significant step towards our first commercial applications. Its successful implementation requires the technical solutions, practical arrangements and cooperation with our partners to progress as planned but once these elements are in place, we will be able to validate our technology in a real operating environment and generate the data needed to scale the technology and develop future commercial solutions,” says Johanna Grönroos, co-founder and CEO of Reduciner

Methanation pilot to explore renewable methane production

The methanation pilot at Reduciner's R&D centre will bring together biogenic CO₂ from Mustankorkea's biogas production, Reduciner's technology and hydrogen produced by Cefmof Hydrogen in Jyväskylä. Reduciner will be responsible for producing the syngas and carrying out the methanation trials, Mustankorkea for supplying the CO₂ used in the process and upgrading the methane into transport fuel, and Cefmof Hydrogen for producing and supplying the hydrogen. The hydrogen will be produced at Cefmof Hydrogen's production unit in Jyväskylä.

In the pilot, part of the syngas produced by Reduciner will be further converted into synthetic methane using hydrogen. Only small quantities of methane will be produced during the research phase. The objective is to test the performance of the production chain in a real operating environment and assess the quality of the methane and its suitability for use as a transport fuel.

"For Mustankorkea, this collaboration is a natural next step in developing the local circular economy. The carbon dioxide separated at our biogas plant is a valuable feedstock if an effective use can be found for it. We can now explore how Reduciner's technology and hydrogen produced in Jyväskylä can be used to convert it into methane that Mustankorkea can use as a transport fuel. A small-scale research setting is a good way to build knowledge for the next stages," says Mustankorkea Oy CEO Esko Martikainen.

"Hydrogen production needs to be complemented by concrete applications and viable value chains. This pilot will explore how hydrogen produced in Jyväskylä and local biogenic CO₂ can be used with Reduciner's technology to produce renewable methane. At the same time, we will gain practical insights into the use of hydrogen as part of new value chains and the local circular economy," says Cefmof Hydrogen Oy Business Director Lauri Perämäki.

"Methane is an attractive downstream product because it is easier to store, transport and use in existing infrastructure than hydrogen or syngas directly. At this stage, the priority is to understand how the entire value chain performs and to ensure that the methane meets the quality requirements of its intended use," says Reduciner co-founder and CTO Eemeli Tsupari.

R&D centre supports technology commercialisation

In addition to the methanation pilot, Reduciner will use the R&D centre for the product development of activated carbon and syngas. Different bio-based carbon feedstocks will be tested at the centre to study how the feedstocks and process conditions affect the properties of the syngas and activated carbon.

The objective is to develop activated carbon production for different industrial applications and generate data on process performance, consistent quality and scalability. The results will support the further development of Reduciner's technology, the evaluation of customer-specific use cases and the design of future commercial plants.

Business Finland is funding the research project carried out at the R&D centre. The centre is expected to become operational by the end of 2026, with the first tests scheduled to begin in early 2027.

Further information

Johanna Grönroos
Co-founder and CEO, Reduciner Oy
johanna.gronroos@reduciner.com, +358 400 741 075

Esko Martikainen
CEO, Mustankorkea Oy
esko.martikainen@mustankorkea.fi, +358 40 724 8744

Lauri Perämäki
Business Director, Cefmof Hydrogen Oy
lauri.peramaki@cefmofhydrogen.com

Reduciner Oy
Reduciner is a Finnish deep-tech startup which turns industrial CO₂ emissions from a liability into a valuable resource. Its technology converts captured CO₂ and biochar into valuable products such as CO-rich syngas and activated carbon. Originating from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Reduciner combines strong scientific expertise with industrial applicability. The technology offers a sustainable and cost-efficient way to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create new value from industrial CO₂ emissions. More information: www.reduciner.com

Mustankorkea Oy
Mustankorkea Oy is a circular economy company based in Central Finland. It provides waste management services and processes locally generated biowaste at its biogas plant in Jyväskylä. The plant produces Finnish biomethane from biowaste for use as a transport fuel. More information: www.mustankorkea.fi

Cefmof Hydrogen Oy
Cefmof Hydrogen Oy is a subsidiary of the Central Finland Mobility Foundation. The company develops hydrogen economy infrastructure and promotes the adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy solution. Its activities cover the development of hydrogen production and refuelling infrastructure, as well as the advancement of new hydrogen applications and value chains in cooperation with public- and private-sector partners. More information: www.cefmofhydrogen.com