In Collaboration with Swing, Rhinoflux Advances a Combustion-free Energy Conversion Technology to Transform Sewage Sludge into a Local Resource & Energy SourceKYOTO, Japan – Rhinoflux Inc., a Kyoto University-born deep tech startup pioneering combustion-free biomass power technology, has launched a proof-of-concept trial with Swing Corporation, a leading Japanese water treatment enterprise. The trial will test the generation of power and the capture of 99.9%+ CO2 from sewage sludge produced at sewage treatment facilities.This PoC trial is being conducted as the next phase following a feasibility study between Rhinoflux and Swing, which indicated the potential applicability and business viability of Hydro Chemical Looping technology for sewage sludge.Challenges Facing Japan’s Sewage Treatment InfrastructureJapan’s sewage treatment facilities face a growing challenge: how to reduce, recycle, and ultimately dispose of the sludge generated through treatment processes in a more sustainable way. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) is estimated to produce approximately 2.34 million dry solids tons (DS tons) of sewage sludge each year. As municipalities and water utilities seek to build more sustainable water infrastructure, technologies that can reduce sludge treatment costs and environmental impacts while recovering energy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions are increasingly needed.From Sewage Sludge to High-Efficiency Power & 99.9%+ CO2Today, sewage sludge in Japan is mainly managed through landfilling, incineration, conversion into solid fuel, biogas utilization via anaerobic digestion, and use in construction materials such as cement. While these methods play an important role in existing sludge management, they also face challenges, including environmental impacts and high treatment costs. Power generation from solid fuels or methane gas also relies on combustion, which limits overall generation efficiency.In contrast, Rhinoflux’s Hydro Chemical Looping technology offers a different approach. Instead of burning biomass, it generates electricity through chemical reactions in an aqueous solution, enabling high-efficiency energy conversion while simultaneously separating and capturing 99.9%+ CO2 as by-product.The technology has the potential to deliver approximately 2 - 4 times higher power generation efficiency than conventional biomass power generation systems, allowing more electricity to be produced from the same amount of biomass. Its aqueous reaction process also makes it well suited to high-moisture biomass, including sewage sludge, which has historically been difficult to utilize economically.Social Values for the Sewage SectorThe technology is expected to deliver value in three areas:1. Less Sludge BurdenIt may help reduce sewage sludge volume and lower the burden of treatment, transport, and final disposal.2. More Energy from Local ResourcesSewage sludge is a continuously available local biomass resource. Converting it into electricity more efficiently could help sewage treatment facilities improve energy resilience and reduce operating costs.3. New Carbon ValueThe process can capture CO2 with a purity of over 99.9% while generating power. This biomass-derived CO2 could be monetized through CDR credits or used as liquefied carbon dioxide, creating new revenue opportunities for sewage treatment facilities' operators.Commercialization Roadmap & Capital PlanRhinoflux operates on a five-stage roadmap, from Lab to Prototype to Pilot to Commercial to Large-Scale Project. With prototype validation complete, the company is advancing to:- 2027: 20 kW pilot demonstration in real-world conditions- 2028: First commercial 100 kW-class system for industrial customers in food and beverage, forestry, and waste management- 2028 onward: Expansion to 2 MW commercial systems- 2032+: Large-scale 10-100 MW projects for data centers, steel, chemical, and utility customersTarget applications span hyperscale data centers, food and beverage manufacturing, forestry residue processing, municipal waste management, and industrial onsite power.To fund pilot deployment, team scale-up, and commercial engineering, Rhinoflux is raising a Series A in 2026, open to international venture investors.Partnership & TeamThe trial will combine Swing’s water and sludge treatment expertise with Rhinoflux’s Hydro Chemical Looping technology to generate data for future deployment and sewage sludge resource utilization.Alex Mazawa, CEO StatementUnlocking Energy & Carbon Value from Sewage SludgeSewage treatment facilities generate sewage sludge every day across Japan. We believe this underutilized resource should be redefined not as waste, but as a domestic energy and carbon resource.Rhinoflux’s Hydro Chemical Looping technology converts sewage sludge into electricity without combustion, while capturing 99.9%+ CO2 at the same time. Our demonstration with Swing is an important step toward bringing this technology into real-world sewage infrastructure.Through this work, we aim to help transform sewage treatment facilities into local energy generation hubs.