11-2025 Newsletter Task 37
Newsletter IEA Bioenergy Task 37: 11/2025
Dissemination of biogas and biomethane
Topics:
- New biogas plant in Götene to reduce emissions from transport and industry
- Which industry knowns are driving RNG tailwinds
- Stagnation in the German biomethane market – New impetus
- Strategic alliance to implement biomethane projects
- TotalEnergies accelerates biogas production in Poland
- Biomethane/RNG in Puerto Rico
- Dubai Municipality chief tours cutting-edge waste management facility at Tadweer
- One of the largest biomethane liquefaction plants in Germany starts regular operation
- AstraZeneca invests $130 million in biogas
- Orlen teams with ag giant to develop biomethane nationwide
- Anaergia Expands Techbau Partnership to Seven Italian Biomethane Plants
- Sumitomo launches JV with North Sky for biogas and e-SAF
- Switzerland: 12% renewable gases in the gas mix
- New Zealand utility moves on biomethane after study
- RNG Coalition celebrates 500 operational RNG facilities in North America
- European Biomethane Map 2025
- bp Archaea Energy Brings 15 Plants Online Over the Last Year
- EIB approves loan to SNAM to build grid connecting biomethane in Italy
- Egypt teams with UNIDO and Eni on biogas project
- St1 Biokraft inaugurates 13th biogas plant
New biogas plant in Götene to reduce emissions from transport and industry
In May, the nordic energy company Gasum has officially inaugurated its newest and largest biogas plant in the Swedish town of Götene. Each year the plant takes in 400,000 tons of manure and other agricultural waste from neighboring farms and turns it into renewable energy as well as recycled fertilizers. The renewable fertilizers are then returned back to the farms in the area for reuse in agriculture. The plant produces 120 gigawatt hours (GWh) of liquefied biogas a year, making it one of the largest LBG facilities in Sweden. The plant’s biogas helps Gasum’s customers in the transport and industry sectors reduce their carbon footprints by over 30,000 tons of CO2 in total.
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Which industry knowns are driving RNG tailwinds
The renewable natural gas (RNG) industry is rapidly expanding, with 474 facilities operating in North America by mid-2025—up from just 31 in 2011—driven by major players like Republic Services, WM, and Archaea, despite lingering policy and market uncertainties. Landfill gas accounts for about 47 percent of what feeds these facilities. Among the latest developments, Republic Services partnered with Ameresco to launch California’s largest landfill-gas-to-RNG plant in October 2024: the Keller Canyon project. It can process 4,500 standard cubic feet per minute (7620 m3/hr), reducing annual carbon emissions by approximately 62,000 metric tons. That’s the equivalent of displacing 7.5 million gallons of diesel fuel. In total, Republic runs 73 RNG projects at landfills across several states. Four of them have come online just this year with at least four more expected and several in the pipeline for 2026.WM brought five RNG facilities online in 2024. The Houston-based megacorp owns a total of 12 RNG facilities
Stagnation in the German biomethane market – New impetus
The German biomethane market is currently suffering from a decline in demand and a loss of confidence, triggered by the insolvency of the trader Landwärme (due to the Chinese cheating in CO2 quota) and low GHG quota prices, among other things. In response, biomethane trader Green Navigation GmbH has expanded its online market place and initiated a practice network to facilitate trade and develop joint solutions with market players. The aim is to promote transparency and stability and provide new impetus for the stagnating market. Despite current challenges, the company continues to see biomethane as an important component of the energy transition, particularly in the heating and industrial sectors.
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Strategic alliance to implement biomethane projects
Global renewable energy project developer Greening, British plant operator Atlantica and energy transformation consultancy Edison Next have joined forces to realize 17 biomethane projects with a total capacity of 907.4 GWh in Spain. Three plants – two in Andalusia and one in Castilla y León – are due to start construction in 2026. The alliance combines extensive experience in the fields of renewable energies, the circular economy and decarbonization and strengthens the partners’ position in the growing biomethane market.
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TotalEnergies accelerates biogas production in Poland
TotalEnergies has announced the signing of a sale agreement with Norwegian company HitecVision to sell 50% of Polska Grupa Biogazowa (PGB), valued at €190 million. This is a way to accelerate the development of the business in a booming Polish market. PGB, founded in 2007 and acquired by TotalEnergies in 2023, currently operates 20 biogas production units in Poland. Its capacity exceeds 450 GWh of biomethane equivalent. The facilities mainly produce electricity and heat through cogeneration (CHP). Two new plants are currently under construction. PGB’s goal is to reach 2 TWh of biomethane equivalent production capacity by 2030. According to TotalEnergies, the arrival of HitecVision as a strategic partner will enable PGB to accelerate its development.
Biomethane/RNG in Puerto Rico
Biomethane (RNG) is also becoming a reality in Puerto Rico thanks to the Humacao project, the first biomethane/RNG plant in the Caribbean, capable of producing 450,000 MMBtu annually from local waste. This energy source could represent a strategic opportunity for cogeneration (CHP) plants, currently powered by liquefied natural gas, that could reduce emissions by adopting the renewable alternative. However, the high cost of biomethane/RNG and the non-transferability of the 25% tax credits for the use of renewable energy hinder the spread of the technology. A regulatory intervention could be crucial to promoting the island’s energy transition.
Dubai Municipality chief tours cutting-edge waste management facility at Tadweer
Dubai’s efforts to turn waste into a renewable energy source took Centre stage during a visit by Eng. Marwan bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, to Tadweer, one of the emirate’s leading waste management facilities. The highlight of the visit was Tadweer’s pilot biogas facility, which demonstrates how organic waste can be transformed into clean, renewable energy, a pivotal step in reducing landfill use and supporting the UAE’s clean energy and circular economy targets. Eng. Marwan toured the site and was briefed on the biogas system, which is designed to harness the energy potential of food and organic waste
One of the largest biomethane liquefaction plants in Germany starts regular operation
Erdgas Südwest Bio-LNG GmbH has put one of the largest biomethane liquefaction plants in Germany into regular operation in Burghaun. With a capacity of 65,700 tonnes of bio-LNG per year, the plant offers biomethane producers and traders the opportunity to liquefy their gas and market it flexibly to filling stations, industrial customers or local authorities. Four tanks, two loading stations and the connection to the A7 motorway and the “Mitte-Deutschlands-Anbindungs-Leitung (MIDAL)” pipeline ensure efficient logistics.
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AstraZeneca invests $130 million in biogas
The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will operate most of its British production and research sites with biomethane in the future. This is made possible by a purpose-built biogas plant in Gonerby Moor in eastern England—the first of its kind without government subsidies. The plant supplies around 100 GWh of renewable gas annually and is part of the comprehensive climate protection program “Ambition Zero Carbon.” In cooperation with the British company Future Biogas, the plant was built on the basis of a 15-year purchase agreement worth $130 million. In addition to biogas production, CO₂ capture is also used. The captured gas is initially used industrially – for example, in greenhouses or for beverage production. The biogas plant is part of a comprehensive rethink: other pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi and GSK are also investing more heavily in renewable energies. The pharmaceutical industry has a big emissions problem. According to a 2019 study, pharma companies generate over 48 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per $1 million of revenue — around 55 percent more than the emissions intensity of the automotive sector.
Orlen teams with ag giant to develop biomethane nationwide
In Poland, ORLEN and Krajowa Grupa Spożywcza (KGS), Poland’s largest state-owned agri-food group, have entered into a memorandum of understanding to develop a nationwide biomethane portfolio. Under the new agreement, the parties will, inter alia, construct biomethane production facilities. The project is expected to curb CO2 emissions, strengthen Poland’s energy security and independence, and enhance overall grid stability. The memorandum between ORLEN and KGS provides for joint optimisation of in-house resources and for securing farmland on which to apply digestate. The partners also plan to jointly scale biomethane production.
Anaergia Expands Techbau Partnership to Seven Italian Biomethane Plants
Anaergia has expanded its agreement with Techbau to build seven biomethane plants in Italy, after initially partnering on five facilities earlier this year. The Canadian renewable developer will provide anaerobic digestion technology while Techbau will oversee engineering, procurement and construction of the facilities, which will use agricultural and food processing waste as feedstocks.
Sumitomo launches JV with North Sky for biogas and e-SAF
In Denmark, Sumitomo Corporation has established a joint venture North Sky A/S with Skovgaard Energy to produce biogas and Power to X business such as e-SAF. The new company aims to produce around 40 million Nm³ of biogas – equivalent to the annual gas consumption of about 20,000 Danish households. It will also expand SE’s existing biogas production sites across Denmark. In addition, the joint venture will develop other bioenergy sources, including e-SAF
Switzerland: 12% renewable gases in the gas mix
The Swiss gas industry will reach a milestone this year: the 50th biomethane plant will go online in 2025. This will mean that annual production will exceed 500 GWh for the first time. Already today, 12% of Swiss gas consumption comes from renewable sources. This is a record high in Europe – and has been achieved without any government subsidies. The Swiss Gas Association’s long-term target of 15% by 2030 is therefore within reach, thanks in part to biomethane imports. The Federal Office for the Environment is currently in talks to reach bilateral agreements with exporting countries so that the CO2 reduction can also be credited to Switzerland’s climate balance sheet.
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New Zealand utility moves on biomethane after study
New Zealand North Island energy distributor Powerco has completed two feasibility investigations into upgrading biogas to biomethane for use in its gas network. In April 2024, Powerco launched initiatives with Manawatu District Council (MDC) and Midwest Disposals to conduct technical analysis and engineering design at the Manawatu Wastewater Treatment Plant and the wider Manawatu Resource Recovery Park, plus Bonny Glen landfill. Powerco is now proceeding into front end engineering design (FEED) with MDC, and is looking at options for Midwest Disposals.
RNG Coalition celebrates 500 operational RNG facilities in North America
In June, the RNG Coalition announced the commissioning of the 500th operational renewable natural gas (RNG) facility in North America. This is a significant milestone that achieves the 2025 benchmark for the industry’s Sustainable Methane Abatement & Recycling Timeline (SMART) initiative. Established in 2019, SMART is an initiative to capture and control methane and CO2 from more than 43,000 waste sites across North America by 2050 — and convert the avoided emissions into domestic sources of renewable fuel, heat and power. Since the Coalition’s founding in 2011, the number of RNG facilities in operation has increased from just 31 to over 500 today. With an additional 153 facilities currently under construction and another 293 in various planning and permitting phases, the RNG Coalition is already shifting industry sights to focus on the SMART initiative’s next benchmark: 1,000 operational facilities by the end of 2030.
European Biomethane Map 2025
The total number of biomethane plants in Europe has increased from 1,548 to 1,678 between the 2024 and 2025 data collection, as showcased in the latest European Biomethane Map. 165 new plants began operation during this period. France now leads biomethane production in Europe, having overtaken Germany with a 21% higher production share and a threefold advantage in number of plants. In contrast, UK and Germany have almost stagnated primarily due to regulatory uncertainty. Countries like Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden, while significant contributors, have recorded slower year-on-year growth compared to the other top producers. The average biomethane plant size in Europe is 483 Nm³/h. More than 85% of the plants are connected to the gas grid, with 47% feeding into distribution networks and 8% into transport infrastructure.
bp Archaea Energy Brings 15 Plants Online Over the Last Year
Archaea Energy has brought online 15 plants in the last 14 months. Archaea sold first gas at the 15th plant, the Lightning Renewables-owned plant in De Soto, Illinois. Lightning Renewables is a joint venture between Archaea and Republic Services. The De Soto facility’s capacity is 2,000 scfm. The first of the 15 plants came online in March 2024 and the plants are located in 10 states (Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Alabama, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Maine and Kansas). The total capacity for the 15 plants is 60,700 scfm. Nevertheless, this contribution is marginal compared to the recent oil exploration in the Santos basin east of Brazil – the largest within the last 30 years.
EIB approves loan to SNAM to build grid connecting biomethane in Italy
In Luxembourg, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a loan of up to €264 million to Snam, with the aim of facilitating the integration of biomethane production plants into Italy’s energy infrastructure. This financing will enable the construction of 240 kilometres of new gas pipelines dedicated to connecting plants producing biomethane with the national gas transmission network. The new infrastructure will be able to transport up to 12 000 GWh of energy per year, equivalent to 1.13 billion cubic metres of biomethane, thus helping to achieve the target set under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), which provides for the production of 5 billion cubic meters per year by 2030.
Egypt teams with UNIDO and Eni on biogas project
Egypt is moving forward with a new project in Beni Suef Governorate to convert agricultural and animal waste into biogas, in cooperation with the Biogas Energy Foundation for Sustainable Development and UNIDO. The project is being prepared in partnership with Eni to establish a biogas plant with a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day and a collection system for 134 tons of animal waste daily. Since its creation, the Biogas Energy Foundation has built 2,000 biogas units across 19 governorates, generating 2.152 million cubic meters of gas annually.
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St1 Biokraft inaugurates 13th biogas plant
In Sweden, St1 Biokraft inaugurated its new flagship plant in Mönsterås, Kalmar County on Wednesday. The plant is the company’s 13th facility and has an annual production capacity of approximately 138 GWh of liquefied biogas (LBG), equivalent to approximately 13 million liters of diesel annually, making it one of the largest in Sweden. The plant was completed in the spring of 2025. The first delivery of liquefied biogas occurred in August, and production is expected to gradually increase to reach full capacity around the turn of the year. The plant receives approximately 260,000 metric tons of manure annually as input for production.