Kyoto University spinout begins 18-month field demonstration converting wet sewage sludge into electricity and 99.9%+ purity CO2
KYOTO, JAPAN, November 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Rhinoflux Inc., a Kyoto University spinout developing combustion-free biomass power technology, has been selected by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for its Resource & Energy Resilience Program under the SusHi Tech Global initiative (https://sushitech-global.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/news/18) . Beginning November 2026, the company will conduct an 18-month on-site demonstration at a large-scale sewage treatment facility in Japan, jointly with the municipality operating the plant and a major Japanese water treatment equipment manufacturer.
The demonstration addresses a problem common to wastewater utilities worldwide: sewage sludge is abundant and continuously generated, but its high moisture content makes conventional energy recovery expensive. Drying and pre-treatment consume much of the energy that incineration or anaerobic digestion ultimately produce, leaving most sludge to be landfilled or downcycled into construction material.
▶A Global Market Constrained by Water Content
In Japan alone, approximately 2.34 million dry-solid tons (DS-t) of sewage sludge are generated annually, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Despite a national recycling rate of about 76%, energy recovery accounts for only around 10%, while 23% still goes to landfill. The sewage sector emits approximately 3.38 million tons of CO2 equivalent each year — the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations in the country.
The same economics constrain utilities across Europe, North America, and Asia, where tightening landfill regulation and rising disposal costs are pushing operators toward energy recovery that conventional thermal technologies struggle to deliver profitably.
▶Electricity and Capture-Ready CO2, Without Combustion
Rhinoflux’s Hydro Chemical Looping technology generates electricity through chemical reactions in an aqueous solution rather than by burning biomass. Because the process accepts feedstock in its wet state, no drying stage is required.
The company reports three differentiators relative to conventional biomass power systems: generation efficiency of approximately two to four times; separation of CO2 at 99.9%+ purity as an inherent output of the reaction, requiring no additional purification equipment; and a substantially smaller installation footprint, since no drying area is needed.
The recovered CO2 can be liquefied for industrial gas markets or, where permanent storage is involved, monetized as BECCS carbon credits — a dual revenue stream that distinguishes the technology from power-only biomass systems.
Beyond sewage sludge, the technology applies to food and beverage processing residues, industrial wastewater sludge, agricultural residues, forest thinnings, and energy crops.
▶What the Demonstration Will Prove
Over a cumulative 2,400 hours of continuous operation, the demonstration will verify performance across sludge types with differing properties — primary, digested, and dewatered cake — and establish power output, CO2 recovery, sludge volume reduction, long-term operating stability, impurity management, interface conditions with existing plant processes, and safety and maintenance requirements.
“For a technology to be adopted in public infrastructure, performance alone is not enough,” said Alex Mazawa, CEO of Rhinoflux. “Interface with existing equipment, safety, and long-term operation and maintenance have to be proven in the field. That is what this program allows us to do.”
Public procurement rules require demonstrated operating history before municipalities can specify new equipment — a barrier that has kept first-of-a-kind technologies out of the sector. The Tokyo-supported demonstration is designed to generate exactly the evidence base that procurement decisions require, not only for the host facility but as a reference for utilities facing the same constraints.
“Sewage sludge is one of the few energy resources available domestically at stable volumes, unaffected by weather or geopolitics,” Mazawa added. “We believe it should be redefined — from something to be processed and disposed of, to a domestic energy and carbon resource.”
▶Commercialization Path
Rhinoflux follows a five-stage development roadmap from laboratory to large-scale project. Having completed laboratory-scale continuous operation on multiple feedstocks in collaboration with water treatment equipment manufacturers and industrial biomass producers, the company now enters field validation at public infrastructure.
Through 2028 — On-site demonstration at a large-scale sewage treatment facility
2028 onward — First commercial systems for municipal and industrial customers
2032 and beyond — Large-scale projects serving data centers, steel, chemicals, and utilities
The company is finalizing a Series A financing round to fund commercial engineering, deployment, and team expansion, with details to be announced upon closing.
▶About Rhinoflux Inc.
Founded in April 2024 as a spinout from Kyoto University, Rhinoflux Inc. develops Hydro Chemical Looping technology — a combustion-free process that converts wet biomass into electricity and high-purity CO2. The company is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan.
For more information, visit https://rhinoflux.com
Rhinoflux Inc.
Business Unit
info@rhinoflux.com
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