Biogas, key to the energy transition and the circular economy
Renewable energy was the main topic at the round table organized yesterday by ARA in collaboration with Naturgy.
In 2024, the Catalan government approved the Catalan biogas strategy 2024-2030 and its action plan, which is part of Catalonia's transition to a new, cleaner, more sustainable, democratic and fair energy model, aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The goal is to define and consolidate the sector by 2030.
Biogas, despite being an essential renewable energy source in the energy transition, remains largely unknown. With the aim of learning more about this alternative for decarbonization, ARA, in collaboration with Naturgy, organized a meeting yesterday at the Institut d'Estudis Catalans. Biogas, a key renewable energy source in the circular economyThe event featured the participation of Rubén Martínez Burgal, head of Renewable Gases for the Eastern region of Naturgy, and Joaquim Daura Ayza, president of the Efficient Energy Cluster of Catalonia (CEEC) and director of the Active Energy Management Area of Schneider Electric, who served as moderators.
Although an energy revolution has already begun, we are still in the fossil fuel era, and 86% of the primary energy we use comes from fossil fuels. Mauri opened the roundtable discussion by pointing out that "decarbonization is leading us toward electrification as the backbone of the planet's energy future, but there are other players, such as biogas and biomethane, that also play an important role." Biogas comes from the anaerobic digestion of decomposing organic matter; waste is transformed into useful resources and converted into gas for energy use and organic nutrients that can replace chemical fertilizers, reducing emissions that contribute to climate change. Biomethane is obtained when biogas is purified, separating the methane, carbon dioxide, and other components.
The fact that Naturgy has created a general directorate dedicated to the development of renewable gases demonstrates that this is an essential element in the energy transition. Furthermore, it makes perfect sense in a region like Catalonia, where the agri-food industry represents 20% of economic output, and the agri-food sector generates 14 million tons of waste each year. "We must take advantage of our capacity to generate biomethane; Catalonia is the fourth autonomous community in Spain with the greatest potential for its production," said Rubén Martínez. Dora reminded everyone that 80% of greenhouse gas emissions are linked to fossil fuel waste: "If we don't move towards decarbonization, we're lost."
The challenges of the transition
There are a number of challenges to overcome in order to efficiently promote biogas projects and gain acceptance in the region. "One of the main challenges is the lack of regulations on how to build the plants, what products to use, the distances the waste should be transported, what to do with the digestate... and this creates uncertainty because it's unclear how to present projects to obtain administrative approval," commented the head of Renewable Gases at Naturgy. From an economic standpoint, there is an added cost; renewable energies are more expensive than conventional ones. Incentives for demand should be established, requiring energy suppliers to offer a minimum percentage of biomethane products. "We must incentivize the demand for biogas and biomethane, so that society understands it should pay more because it's added value," said Martínez. If these incentives are not implemented, there is a risk that local production will move to the Netherlands or Germany, which do have incentive systems in place. Dora, president of the CEEC, added that we are moving slowly and late with biogas. Conceptually, everything is perfect; the waste is available and can be used. However, the waste comes from diverse sources, and its value must also be assessed. It's important to remember that those who sell the waste want to make a profit, "but if you want to build a biogas plant, you need a constant volume of waste, and farmers, ranchers, and industries aren't used to this kind of commitment." Adding to these challenges is the need to clearly define what is digestible and what isn't, and what can be used and what can't.
On the contrary, there are several advantages that favor the transition to biogas and biomethane. Biogas cannot be injected directly into the grid; it requires a purification process to become biomethane, after which it can be injected without any modifications. The infrastructure is already in place. Catalonia has the waste and the network, concentrating a third of the 80,000 kilometers of natural gas network in Spain. It is a value chain involving many stakeholders, from producers and managers to transporters, public administration, and processing plants. "It is, after all, an industry that needs to be well integrated," Daura reminded us. Hence the need for a global vision, to understand the perspective of all the necessary stakeholders, and for them to reach an agreement.
Future opportunities
In response to Francesc Mauri's question about what should be done to accelerate the deployment of biogas in Catalonia over the next two years, Daura is clear that viable and scalable projects are essential. These projects require, on the one hand, administrative simplification accompanied by the declaration of biomethane as a strategic project; on the other hand, guaranteeing connection to the gas network and regulatory stability; and on the other hand, promoting collaborative models with the primary sector and the local community. "Without social acceptance, this process will be slow and complicated," said Martínez. "We have to explain the transformation process transparently, explain this evolution to all stakeholders, and especially to the local community, fostering dialogue between the developers and the residents." Daura added that it will be necessary to be bold, "and to leverage the power of storytelling. It's very easy to criticize and look for weaknesses, but that's not how we move forward." To ensure that the deployment of biogas is balanced and beneficial for the region, they propose involving all stakeholders, "because this is the future of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We must be brave and understand that either we all work together or we will collapse," said Duran.
To attract the local market, companies' approach needs to be more appealing. "Our responsibility is to explain things. Naturgy has existed for 180 years because it has a commitment to long-term presence and industrial development," said Martínez, who explained that biogas is an industry that, in addition to decarbonization, offers a range of benefits to society, including job creation and transforming what is currently a product—the product—into something more. The president of the CEEC added that the 21st century is the century of circularity, and that if everyone is to be supplied, it must be done in a circular fashion or it will be unsustainable because resources are being depleted rapidly.
"Nor can we forget that energy plays a fundamental role in geopolitics, and both Catalonia and Spain and Europe have a significant energy shortage. Now we have the opportunity to turn things around and move towards renewable energy." This opportunity will allow us to have abundant and cheap energy, opening the door to reindustrialization and making Catalonia an attractive place to live, create jobs, and attract talent. "It represents the squaring of the circle: circularity and competitiveness," Martínez concluded.
