During his PhD studies, Thomas Norup From researched electrified syngas manufacturing (referred to as eSMR) using renewable carbon sources like biogas. He investigated how biogas, sourced directly from a biogas plant, could be processed through the eSMR platform to produce industrially relevant syngas for renewable chemical and fuel production. However, biogas composition fluctuates, with changes in CO₂ and CH₄ content affecting syngas quality. To address this, a dynamic process control system was developed that stabilized the oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) and hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C) ratios in the feed gas using H₂, H₂O, or CO₂ for elemental balance. Thomas Norup From further expanded the O/C and H/C control system to include CO₂ in its carbon matrix, demonstrating the eSMR platforms ability to utilize a wide range of renewable carbon feedstocks. His findings contribute to the production of renewable chemicals and fuels, particularly when integrated with renewable electricity, enabling near-zero carbon emissions in syngas manufacturing and downstream processes. 

The PhD study was completed at Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Monday, 08 September 2025 at 13:00
Place: Building 1427, room 144, Lecture Theatre (M1), Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Fredrik Nielsens Vej 2-4, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Valorization og Bio-methanol in Power-to-X Schemes Utilizing the eSMR Technology
Contact information: Thomas Norup, e-mail: au634830@uni.au.dk, tel.: +45 50455017
Members of the assessment committee:
Chief Technology Officer Martin Skov Skjøth-Rasmussen, Elcogen, Estonia
Associate Professor Jakob Munkholt Christensen, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Associate Professor Patrick Biller (chair), Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor: 
Associate Professor Behzad Partoon, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Lead Scientist Peter Mølgaard Mortensen, New Chemicals Platforms, Topsoe A/S, Denmark
Co-supervisor: 
Professor Anders Bentien, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark
Principal Scientist Marené Lobban, New Chemicals Platforms, Topsoe A/S, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.