Turning methane into a cleaner future

L-R: Ashwin Hatwar, Mohammad Arfin, Hamza Asmat and Professor Akshat Tanksale

A new Futurum Careers feature spotlights how methane - one of the world’s most potent greenhouse gases - could be transformed into a cleaner industrial input.

Professor Akshat Tanksale and his team at the Australian Research Council (ARC) RECARB Hub at Monash University are designing a new reactor to improve both efficiency and sustainability.

At the centre of the work is an electrified reactor that converts methane into syngas using renewable energy. Professor Tanksale explains, “Instead of relying on fossil fuel combustion, industries can now power these reactions in a sustainable way, cutting both operational costs and emissions.”

The breakthrough also delivers a step-change in performance. Professor Tanksale notes the system can “Convert 96 per cent of methane into usable energy, surpassing the 75 per cent conversion rate of traditional methods.”

The technology is being developed with real-world application in mind. Professor Tanksale says “The compact, modular nature of this reactor allows for easy integration into existing infrastructure,” a key factor in accelerating uptake across emissions-intensive sectors.

With methane accounting for a significant share of global warming, innovations like this highlight how advanced engineering can help industry turn a major climate challenge into a more sustainable opportunity.

Read the full article here.

Professor Tanksale is Deputy Director of the ARC Research Hub for Carbon Utilisation and Recycling (RECARB Hub). Learn more about the Hub here.