Country Report 2024

A perspective on the state of the biogas industry in 12 member countries of IEA Bioenergy Task 37

September 2024

Activities within International Energy Agency (IEA) are set up under the Technology Collaboration Programs. These are independent bodies operating in a framework provided by the IEA. IEA Bioenergy, one of several active Technology Collaboration Programs, was set up in 1978 with the aim of improving cooperation and information exchange between countries that have national programs in bioenergy research, development and deployment. IEA Bioenergy’s vision is to achieve a substantial bioenergy contribution to future global energy demands by accelerating the production and use of environmentally sound, socially accepted and cost-competitive bioenergy on a sustainable basis, thus providing increased security of supply whilst reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy use.

IEA Bioenergy Task 37 addresses the challenges and opportunities related to the economic and environmental sustainability of the production and utilization of biogas from anaerobic digestion (AD). In most, if not all, countries, biogas production has been dependent on investment support and/or subsidies to be financially viable, indicating the need to improve steps in the value chain to reduce both investment and operating costs, and derive more revenue or value from all of its products. Anaerobic digestion is a relatively simple and effective way of producing renewable energy and recovering nutrients from waste streams, whilst also delivering several other valuable services and benefits, including GHG mitigation. Task 37 publications include technical reports, case studies and country reports that provide important, current information intended to improve both the economic and environmental performance of biogas value chains where the gaseous end products, biogas and biomethane, can be utilized as heat, electricity, vehicle fuel or base material for chemical processes or combinations of these products. The main co-product from a biogas plant, the digestate, is a very important contributor to the overall sustainability of the biogas value chain and is also addressed in various Task 37 publications.

This current publication is the sixth annual summary of Task 37 country reports collated from the presentations made at meetings and from additional background details provided by the national representatives. It is hoped that this publication will enable widespread dissemination of up-to-date information on the state of the biogas industry in Member Countries located in the EU, North America, South America and Asia that will inspire readers to see the great potential for biogas solutions.