In Foulum, AU BCE runs a test facility for research within biological and chemical energy conversion technology, with special emphasis on different power-to-x technologies. The facility hosts experimental facilities of different scale, ranging from lab scale to several pilot scale facilities, enabling research into upscaling of chemical and biological processes.

The facility is centered around AU’s full-scale biogas plant which provides renewable CO₂? feedstock for several of the pilot plants.
With more than a decade as hub for development and demonstration of technologies at different industrial scales and readiness level, the site’s  flexible utility setup enables easy integration of technologies for stand-alone testing, as well as testing of combinations of technologies. Utilities include cooling, biogas storage, gas supply infrastructure (Biogas, H2, CO2), gas flare etc., and the facility is supported by an operational organization including trained operators and safety organization.

Research areas include:

• Biological energy conversion processes (power-to-gas)
• Chemical energy conversion (Power-to-gas,  Power-to-ammonia, Power-to-methanol)
• Upscaling of biological and chemical processes (process engineering)
• Process optimization and cost-out
• Process integration
• Operating paradigms, especially transient operations on renewable energy

Examples of technologies and facilities at the site:

Biological power-to-gas:

• Small-scale trickle bed reactor
• Medium-scale trickle bed reactor
• 30 m³ digester with hydrogen injection
• Full-scale 1200 m³ CSTR with hydrogen injection

Chemical power-to-x:

• SOEC electrolysis for hydrogen generation
• Chemical methanation (Sabatier)
• Setup for ammonia syngas generation
• eSMR for syngas generation
• Methanol synthesis loop (pending)