LanzaTech successfully exceeded guaranteed performance at Japan’s Kuji MSW-to-ethanol plant, proving robust, scalable waste-to-fuel gas fermentation technology.
LanzaTech Global, Inc. has reported the successful achievement of guaranteed operational performance at a municipal solid waste (MSW)–to–ethanol pilot facility in Japan, marking an important milestone in the commercialization of industrial carbon recycling technologies. The facility, located in Kuji City in Iwate Prefecture, is owned and operated by SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD., a long-term partner of LanzaTech, and represents a one-tenth commercial-scale demonstration of waste-to-ethanol production.
With an annual production capacity of approximately 400 metric tons of ethanol, the pilot plant began operations following mechanical completion in April 2022 and remained in operation for nearly four years. During this period, the facility consistently demonstrated the ability of LanzaTech’s proprietary gas fermentation technology to process highly heterogeneous and unsorted non-recyclable municipal waste streams. These materials would otherwise be disposed of through landfilling or incineration, both of which carry significant environmental burdens. The successful handling of such variable feedstocks highlights the adaptability of the technology to regional differences in waste composition, a key requirement for enabling a truly global circular carbon economy.
The Kuji waste-to-ethanol project was supported through investment by SBR, a joint venture between Sekisui Chemical and INCJ, which operates under the oversight of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Additional financial backing was provided by the Ministry of the Environment Japan, reflecting strong governmental support for innovative low-carbon and waste-reduction technologies.
A major highlight of the project was the plant’s ability to meet and exceed its guaranteed performance criteria. After achieving steady-state operations, the facility maintained ethanol yields above the guaranteed threshold for more than 14 consecutive days. This represented the most productive fermentation campaign recorded at the site to date. Importantly, this level of performance was sustained even while operating under particularly challenging conditions, including difficult and variable gas compositions.
The plant processed synthesis gas containing a combined carbon monoxide and hydrogen concentration ranging between 40% and 55%, with hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide ratios fluctuating from 1.1 to 1.4. Such gas compositions can pose significant challenges for many conventional catalytic conversion technologies. LanzaTech’s process, however, demonstrated exceptional resilience and flexibility, maintaining high ethanol productivity despite these demanding parameters. This achievement underscores the robustness of biological gas fermentation compared with more rigid chemical conversion pathways.
Gasification itself is a well-established method for converting solid waste into syngas, and LanzaTech has previously integrated its fermentation platform with several conventional gasifier systems. The Kuji project also served as a testing ground for collaboration around a novel gasifier design. Despite variability in feed gas quality, the fermentation system remained stable and consistently met performance targets, further validating the reliability of the technology.
Commenting on the achievement, Jennifer Holmgren, Chief Executive Officer of LanzaTech, expressed pride in the collaborative success of the project and acknowledged the contributions of Sekisui Chemical, the local authorities in Kuji City and Iwate Prefecture, and the Government of Japan. She emphasized that the results reaffirm the scalability and technical soundness of LanzaTech’s platform and signaled optimism for expanding sustainable fuel and chemical production in Japan and other markets.
Looking ahead, LanzaTech continues to advance waste-to-energy and waste-to-fuels solutions that support circular economy principles. By converting problematic waste streams into valuable ethanol and other chemical feedstocks—potentially including inputs for sustainable aviation fuel—the company aims to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition toward low-carbon industrial systems worldwide.
