Progress Update March 2025
In early 2025, Birra Technologies secured laboratory and office space at The University of Queensland. This is where our team is currently conducting research, collaboration, and experiments with our prototypes.
The space gave us the ability to put our unique skills and expertise into practice. We have synthesised our proprietary catalyst, with first results starting to come through. Our catalyst is the backbone of our biogas-to-methanol process. It allows methane adsorption and oxidation to methanol, without the risk of over-oxidation that is a common barrier to methanol synthesis at room temperature and pressure.
In addition to the catalyst, work is proceeding with our photocatalytic reactor, which looks just like a solar panel. A scaled-down version has been built as a demonstration, featuring innovative engineering design. Our full-scale reactor in the laboratory is nearing completion with experimentation underway to refine mass transfer and process flows. Through extensive testing we have made iterative design refinements, including material selection to optimise cost and fluid dynamics.
Lab testing will begin soon to provide results on the methanol production capability of our reactor. These tests will aim to show the panel working in a lab with simulated real-world conditions, bringing our Technology Readiness Level (TRL) beyond level 4. Assessments will focus on factors such as reaction kinetics, energy consumption, and long-term stability under varying conditions.
Beyond the lab, Birra is in the process of securing pilot-scale facilities to validate our technology in a real-world environment. Collaboration with industry partners and research institutions will facilitate this transition, as we quickly advance our TRL to level 6.
Our technology can produce green methanol from waste gases that would otherwise be poorly valorised. We are quickly advancing and improving our design, preparing for commercialisation. The success of our technology could see significant reductions in carbon emissions from major global markets such as shipping, aviation, and petrochemicals. We are committed to drive advancements and meet the evolving demands of a greener future.