First methane pyrolysis plant inaugurated at V-ZUG

With the inauguration of the first methane pyrolysis plant on the V-ZUG production site in Zug, Swiss industry is sending a strong signal on the path to net zero. At the end of November 2025, the Association for Industrial Decarbonisation (VZDI) and its partners inaugurated a pilot plant that is the only one of its kind in Europe. With investment totalling more than CHF 8 million in recent years, the project marks an important milestone in the decarbonisation of industrial processes and underlines Switzerland’s position as a centre of innovation.

Methane pyrolysis is an innovative technology in which methane (CH₄) is broken down in a plasma. This produces hydrogen (H₂) and solid carbon (C), allowing methane to be used for energy purposes without the CO₂ entering the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas. The carbon produced, on the other hand, can be reused as a valuable raw material in construction and agriculture. The industrial pilot plant is estimated to save around 240 tonnes of CO₂ per year and delivers up to 10 kg of hydrogen per hour with a purity of 95–99%. The hydrogen from this pilot plant will be used directly as a climate-friendly energy source in V-ZUG’s enamelling furnace, replacing fossil natural gas. This will enable us to gradually decarbonise the enamelling plant, the last remaining CO₂ emitter in our industrial processes.

Around 66 tonnes of solid carbon will also be produced annually. This will be tested and used in ongoing investigations as a building material for concrete or asphalt and as a soil conditioner. “With this innovation, V-ZUG is driving forward the sustainable development of industrial processes and setting new standards for emission-free production. We are making targeted investments to make processes not only more efficient, but also more environmentally friendly,” says Adrian Theiler, Chief Operations Officer at V-ZUG. The project is being coordinated by VZDI alongside key partners such as Empa, a scientific institution, the companies Accelleron, AVAG, amag, Holcim, Metall Zug, Partners Group, Sakowin, SHL Medical, Siemens, Sika, Sulzer, Swiss Safety Center, Tech Cluster Zug, V-ZUG, VZ Depotbank and WWZ, and the Canton of Zug, which is providing political backing.  The participants are contributing both technical expertise and financial resources to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral industry.

The methane pyrolysis plant is the heart of a comprehensive strategy of the association (VZDI): the development of a circular and waste-free ecosystem for the emission-free use of methane (natural gas). The long-term goal is to use synthetic methane, consisting of renewable hydrogen and carbon from CO2 already emitted, for the production of hydrogen in the future. This next step should enable negative emissions and thus strengthen the contribution to tackling climate change. Cooperation projects aimed at building an economically self-sustaining global ecosystem that contributes to the decarbonisation of industry are also being developed thanks to the close collaboration between stakeholders from science, industry and politics. “The project shows how research, industry and the public sector can work together to achieve real progress in the climate strategy,” adds Andreas Bittig, Head of Office at the VZDI. The commissioning of the pilot plant marks a pioneering step on the path to a climate-neutral Swiss industry, while the wide-ranging collaboration between businesses and research institutions is sending a clear signal of innovation and sustainable industrial development.