Biogas production from waste utilizes a broad range of feedstocks, from agricultural waste to metropolitan sewage

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Guild Associates Inc., doing business as Guild Biosciences, $174,945 on September 15, 2025, under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212) to conduct a Phase I bench-scale evaluation of enzyme-immobilized biogas production technology.

Guild Biosciences will evaluate multiple enzymes immobilized through its patented Immobizyme technology to increase biogas production from anaerobic digesters processing agricultural waste and municipal sewage. The 28-day bench-scale test will assess enzyme candidates and immobilization formulations based on overall biogas generation, active lifetime of immobilized enzymes in the reactor, and quantity of enzyme required. Results will identify the most promising enzyme candidates and formulations for advancement to pilot-scale study.

The enzyme immobilization approach addresses a practical limitation of enzymatic digestion enhancement: free enzymes are rapidly degraded in the microbially active digester environment, whereas immobilized enzymes demonstrate significantly improved stability and reactivity. The Immobizyme process offers low manufacturing cost while enabling improved digester performance without additional energy inputs.

Performance of work occurs in Dublin, Ohio. The period of performance runs from September 15, 2025, through September 30, 2026.

Effective utilization of the available feedstock is necessary to maintain the economic viability and overall sustainability of the digestion. The addition of enzymes has been investigated to improve digestion of difficult materials such as fats and proteins whichincreasesbiogas production, reducestotal solids at the conclusion of digestion, and actively manages issues with foaming. Recent studies have determined that enzymatic treatment of anaerobic digester feed materials can increase the quality and quantity of biogas generation without the need for additional energy inputs. However, the utility of enzyme supplements is limited as the enzymes are rapidly degraded in the microbially active environment of the digester. Guild biosciences' patented enzyme immobilization technology, immobizyme™, can provide an economic and practical solution to improving the survivability of enzyme indigester applications. Immobilized enzymes have demonstrated significantly improved stability and reactivity in aggressive, digestive, or denaturing environments. This combined withthe low manufacturing cost of the immobizyme process signifies that an enzymatic solution to improving digester performanceis possible. The aim of this project is to evaluate the capability of multiple enzymes, following immobilization through our patented technology, to increase the production of biogas of an anerobic digester consistently and significantly over the course of a 28-day bench-scale test. Results from phase I will identify the best enzyme candidates and immobilization formulations for a pilot-scale study based on: 1) overall biogas generation, 2) active lifetime of the immobilized enzyme in the reactor, and 3) quantity of enzyme required.