The SHINE 2.0 features direct and indirect heating of the methanation reactor. Concentrated sunlight can be used directly to heat the reactor and maintain reaction temperature through active solar tracking. Alternatively, solar energy can be converted to electricity and stored in a mobile battery/solar controller unit for the primary's hydrogen generation and indirect heating reactor, allowing for night time operation.

This integrated reactor system uses concentrated solar power to heat the reaction chamber, and the solar panel generates electricity to produce hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas is fed with carbon dioxide to the primary reactor to produce methane. Downstream cooler/water remove the methane product for further storage. In the latest prototype, up to 15-30 L/h of methane can be produced, corresponding to 60-120 L/h of hydrogen feed. The methane produced can be integrated with the existing natural gas network.  The system has been tested using a range of cheap, transition metal-based catalysts to achieve 100% selectivity towards methane.