[Natalia Bourenane]

@greenenergy_melvin @anessa_sundus

[Natalia Bourenane]

Thank you for your answer @Nikolas_Pat – I also saw that press release by ABC and the future seems to be bright. Do you think biogas is also more complex to explain to a person who has no prior knowledge about the process? What is your personal experience?

[Nikolas]

The concept itself (i.e. taking organics, digesting them and producing gas) is easy enough and most people understand it, even from outside the industry. What is not easily understood is the ‘uniqueness’ of each project, and how even when you do have the feedstock, a project might not be economically feasible.

As an example, I have seen 3,000 dairy cow projects in the past that were rejected, because the pipeline was so far away that transporting the gas (or building a pipeline) made the project not attractive to investors.

That is what gives complexity to biogas. That it’s not only about turning your waste to gas. That is has to also make sense financially for investors, that it depends on a market that needs incentives and needs specific conditions for a successful project. However, this is still a waste solution. If treating waste regulations become more strict, the waste owners (farmers, WWTPs) will need to have biogas systems to meet regulations.

[Nikolas]

Biogas is growing in popularity, with ‘3 out of 4 [US] voters supporting increasing government investment in U.S. biogas production’, as per a recent poll by the American Biogas Council. The reason it is not as popular as solar or wind is because it cannot, by nature, be ‘implemented everywhere’. You need to have enough feedstock available (i.e. manure, wastewater, agricultural waste) to make a project viable, whereas solar you can put on your own roof. However, with electricity prices falling drastically and (most) other renewables producing electricity, biogas to RNG projects provide a fuel that can be stored, transported, liquified etc, and is not intermittent, like electricity.

Finally, consider biogas projects as a ‘waste solution’, not as ‘energy production’ projects. Other renewables do not solve a problem besides producing energy. Biogas projects do. They offer much more than just the energy production. They offer waste management, emissions avoidance, landfill gas management etc.

[Natalia Bourenane]

@biotec_edwin I wonder if you have any insights?

[Seyed Mohammad Ezazi]

One of the challenges in biogas systems, which often shifts interest toward solar and wind energy, is the complexity of operation and maintenance. Biogas plants require skilled personnel and continuous monitoring to function efficiently. In contrast, solar power plants demand far less operational oversight, making them comparatively easier to manage.

[Sundus]

As mentioned in this thread, biogas and RNG are significantly more complex than other renewable energy sources. Not only is it a capital-intensive project, but it also demands extreme maintenance and upkeep. Furthermore, the infrastructure requirements of a biogas plant are more complicated than, say, solar panels. Digesters, transportation, pipelines, etc., seem more daunting than installing solar panels or wind turbines.

I view biogas and RNG production as a niche that should be explored more, as it promotes the circular economy. Unlike other renewables that produce just electricity, biogas and RNG production are a waste management solution. Farms with agricultural waste, manure, etc., can set up a biogas plant to not just manage waste but also generate electricity, fuel (RNG), and natural fertilizers (digestate). It helps reduce atmospheric methane emissions from landfills and maintains soil health.

Since electrification by solar and wind is easier to scale and promote, many countries have not enacted detailed biogas laws. Complex permits, cross-sector collaboration, and lower political visibility are challenges faced by biogas plants. Furthermore, the industry finds it difficult to draw in investment and policy-driven incentives in the absence of strong carbon credit schemes or infrastructure support.