Researchers have found a clearer path to turning everyday waste into clean, usable gas for homes and businesses.
A team led by Mohsen Talei at University of Melbourne has identified how to safely produce high-quality biomethane, a renewable gas made from organic waste such as food scraps, sewage and animal manure.
The study, published in the International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, provides important guidelines that make biomethane easier and cheaper to produce.
It has also helped shape updated Australian Standards, which now officially recognize biomethane as equivalent to natural gas.
This change is important because it allows biomethane to be safely used in existing gas pipelines and appliances across the country.
Biomethane is created when microorganisms break down organic waste in oxygen-free tanks. This process produces biogas, which can then be purified into a nearly pure form of methane. Once cleaned, biomethane can be used just like traditional natural gas for heating, electricity and even transport. Because it comes from waste rather than fossil fuels, it can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Australia is currently under pressure to find cleaner energy sources. While electric vehicles are becoming more popular, they cannot replace all uses of fossil fuels, especially in heavy industry and transport. Biomethane offers a practical alternative because it can work with the gas infrastructure that already serves millions of homes and businesses.
One major challenge, however, has been ensuring that biomethane is clean enough to avoid damaging equipment. A key problem is a compound called siloxane, which comes from everyday products like shampoos and deodorants.
When biomethane containing siloxane is burned, it forms a hard, glass-like coating inside appliances. Over time, this buildup can reduce efficiency and cause damage.
To solve this, the research team used computer simulations along with a specially designed burner to study how siloxane behaves under different conditions. They looked at how factors like temperature, gas flow and chemical reactions affect the formation of these coatings.
By combining experimental results with modeling, they developed a way to predict how much siloxane can safely remain in the gas without causing harm.
This work provides clear targets for gas producers, helping them remove just enough contaminants to ensure safety while keeping costs manageable. It also gives energy companies, regulators and manufacturers a shared set of rules, making it easier to scale up biomethane production across Australia.
There are already promising signs.
Projects like the Malabar Biomethane Facility in New South Wales have shown that biomethane can be safely added to gas networks. Studies suggest that, in the future, waste-derived biomethane could supply a large share of Australia’s gas needs.
The researchers are now working with industry partners to expand this technology further. Their goal is to turn more waste into clean energy and support a more sustainable energy system.
By solving key technical challenges, this research brings Australia closer to using waste as a reliable and scalable source of renewable gas.
