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Steam methane reforming (SMR) makes hydrogen by reacting methane with high-temperature steam, then converting carbon monoxide into additional hydrogen. Biogas can potentially supply some of the methane-rich gas used in the process, but it is not a universal drop-in replacement: gas composition, contaminants, plant design and emissions accounting all matter.
How steam methane reforming produces hydrogen
In an SMR reformer, methane and steam pass over a catalyst at high temperature. The main reaction is endothermic, so the reformer must receive heat from an external source:
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CH₄ + H₂O (+ heat) → CO + 3H₂
The U.S. Department of Energy gives a representative operating range of 700–1,000°C and 3–25 bar for natural-gas reforming. These are general process conditions, not a guaranteed specification for every plant. DOE: Hydrogen Production: Natural Gas Reforming
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The reformer output contains carbon monoxide as well as hydrogen. In a subsequent water-gas shift reaction, carbon monoxide reacts with steam to form carbon dioxide and another molecule of hydrogen:
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CO + H₂O → CO₂ + H₂ (+ a small amount of heat)
This step increases hydrogen production while converting carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.
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Purification separates hydrogen from the remaining gases
The resulting gas mixture is treated to remove carbon dioxide and other impurities. A common final separation method is pressure-swing adsorption (PSA), which leaves a purified hydrogen product. The captured or separated carbon dioxide is not automatically prevented from reaching the atmosphere; that depends on what the plant does with it.
Can biogas be used to make hydrogen?
Potentially. Biogas contains methane that can serve as a source of reforming feed or fuel, but its composition differs from pipeline natural gas and varies with its feedstock and processing. The International Energy Agency identifies sustainable biogas feedstocks such as crop residues, manure, biowaste and woody biomass. IEA: Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane
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The distinction between using gas as feed and as fuel matters. Feed gas is converted into hydrogen in the reforming reactions; fuel gas supplies heat to the endothermic reformer. A plant may assess biogenic gas for one role before considering it for the other.
What the modeling evidence shows—and does not show
A 2023 NREL-authored process-modeling study examined biogenic gases in existing steam-reforming processes. Under its assumed gas compositions and design conditions, it found that replacing natural gas in the reformer fuel train, followed by partial replacement in the feed train, may be feasible. For the CO- and CO₂-rich gases modeled, the study found that up to 25 mol% biogenic gas in the feed train could be accommodated with allowances in existing designs or small modifications while maintaining similar hydrogen output. Dutta et al., 2023: Process Considerations for the Production of Hydrogen via Steam Reforming of Oxygenated Gases
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That result is specific to the study’s modeled compositions and assumptions. It is not a universal blend limit, a proven operating recipe for all SMR units or a performance guarantee. DOE also includes anaerobic digester gas in an overview of hydrogen production pathways, but that classification does not establish that untreated gas can be fed directly to a particular reformer. DOE: Hydrogen Production Pathways
What an actual plant must evaluate
Before using biogas, plant engineers would need to assess its composition and contaminants, required cleanup, catalyst compatibility, process configuration and operating controls. The available sources do not establish a universal gas-quality specification or guarantee compatibility with an existing unit. Those requirements are plant-specific.
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What determines the emissions impact?
The chemistry describes how hydrogen is made; it does not, by itself, determine the climate impact. Feedstock origin, process heat, methane leakage, carbon capture scope and upstream supply-chain emissions all affect the result.
Unabated natural-gas hydrogen has substantial emissions
The IEA’s Global Hydrogen Review 2024 estimated that global hydrogen production emitted 920 Mt CO₂ in 2023. It reported that nearly two-thirds of production came from unabated natural gas, with emissions of 10–12 kg CO₂-equivalent per kg H₂. The IEA estimated that 75–95% of emissions occur directly at production and can be reduced through carbon capture; upstream and midstream emissions also need attention. IEA: GHG emissions of hydrogen and its derivatives
Carbon capture can reduce some emissions, not erase the system boundary
For SMR, the IEA estimated abatement costs of USD 60–85 per tonne of CO₂ at capture rates of 55–70%, and USD 85–110 per tonne of CO₂ at rates above 90%. These are report estimates under the IEA’s assumptions, not project-specific quotes. A capture rate should not be read as a whole-plant emissions reduction unless the covered streams and remaining emissions are also specified.
DOE documented an earlier proposed Port Arthur demonstration to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from SMR process gas at two hydrogen-production plants. That record shows that process-gas capture has been pursued at industrial scale; it does not establish that every emissions stream is captured or the project’s current operating status. DOE: EA-1846, Demonstration of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration of Steam Methane Reforming Process Gas
Biogenic gas still needs methane management
Biogenic origin does not automatically mean negligible lifecycle emissions. The IEA’s 2025 biogas outlook estimates that methane emissions from biogas and biomethane plants range from 2–5.5% of output. It identifies closed digestate storage, combustion of upgrading off-gases, and leak detection and repair as important mitigation practices. IEA: Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane
Quick Recap
How to assess a biogas-to-hydrogen proposal
- Identify the gas and its role: establish whether it would supply reformer fuel, reformer feed or both.
- Characterize and clean it: determine the composition and contaminants, then define cleanup needs for the proposed plant and catalyst.
- Check integration requirements: have engineers assess the reformer, shift section, purification system and controls against the actual gas and operating conditions.
- Compare hydrogen output and emissions on a clear basis: include process heat, capture coverage, upstream and midstream emissions, and methane leakage from biogas production or upgrading.
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