German Startup Unveils Solar-Powered Plant That Converts Air and Water Into E-Methane
Published: 24 Mar 2026
Author: Precedence Research
A German Startup Has Unveiled A Solar-Powered Plant That Converts Air And Water Into E-Methane
In November 2025, Greenlyte launched a world-first pilot plant in Duisburg. Known as "LiquidSolar," this fully solar-powered facility produces synthetic methane by combining direct air capture (DAC), electrolysis, and green hydrogen.
Direct Air Capture (DAC)
Ambient air is passed through a column where a proprietary liquid sorbent (a non-toxic water-based solution) captures and binds it into a bicarbonate solution. The LiquidSolar™ system features a proprietary solid bicarbonate electrolysis process that splits water and captured CO₂ at once, producing high-purity hydrogen and carbon dioxide in one step. These gases are then directly incorporated into a methanation unit to create e-methane, providing a modular, low-cost solution for synthetic fuel production, utilizing only air, water, and renewable electricity.
According to Towards Chem&Materials, the high purity methane gas market size accounted for USD 8.19 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 8.72 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 15.40 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 6.52% from 2026 to 2035 as demand for clean hydrogen fuel is increasing across the globe.
The Duisburg pilot was a collaborative effort involving ZBT (Fuel Cell Research Centre), LTT at RWTH Aachen, and Uniper, with funding support from the EU and NRW state through the EFRE/JTF program.
Advancements in Material Science Accelerates High Purity Methane Gas Market
- Rising applications of methane are creating graphene and producing monocrystal/nanoparticle diamonds for electronic components.
High-purity methane is necessary as a feedstock for manufacturing green/blue hydrogen via steam reforming to support clean energy initiatives and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). - The need for precise emissions monitoring has facilitated the usage of high-purity methane as a certified calibration gas.
The use of high-purity methane in the production of methanol, special chemicals, and chemical vapor deposition for materials increases, due to growing industrial output in APAC. - Rising government investments in clean energy infrastructure and zero-emission transportation systems are boosting market expansion further.