As global climate negotiations at COP28 reaffirmed the urgency of phasing out fossil fuels, Catalonia is looking inward—toward its organic waste streams—as a source of renewable energy and economic resilience.
Biogas and biomethane, long overshadowed by solar and wind, are gaining new attention as tools for decarbonization, rural revitalization, and circular economy growth.
At a recent roundtable in Lleida, organized by ARA in collaboration with Naturgy, experts from academia, industry, and agriculture underscored the strategic role biogas could play in meeting both local and European climate targets. Speakers included Xavier Flotats, emeritus professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia; Víctor Falguera, coordinator of the regional bioeconomy hub BioHubCat; livestock farmer Jordi Siscart; and Joan Plana, head of biomethane plants at Nedgia, a Naturgy subsidiary.
According to the Catalan Office for Climate Change, methane emissions from organic matter in 2023 totaled 128,000 tons—equivalent to 3.6 million tons of CO₂ or 1.8 terawatt-hours of energy. That figure represents enough energy to fuel 270,000 gasoline cars for a year, currently lost to the atmosphere. Capturing and converting that methane through biogas systems would not only prevent emissions but displace fossil gas, offering a double benefit for decarbonization.
Biogas, produced by anaerobically digesting organic waste, can be upgraded into biomethane for injection into gas grids or used directly for heat and power generation. Unlike intermittent renewables, biogas provides dispatchable energy and enables nutrient recycling, replacing chemical fertilizers while mitigating air and water pollution from agricultural runoff.
Falguera emphasized a crucial shift in perception: “Biogas facilities should be seen as energy production sites, not merely waste treatment plants.” That framing aligns with EU directives on renewable gases and circular bioeconomy strategies. Yet, Catalonia’s implementation lags behind countries like Germany and Denmark, where regulatory clarity and incentive frameworks have spurred thousands of operational plants.
Currently, Europe counts more than 1,000 biomethane plants connected to national grids, while Spain remains in early development stages despite its large agricultural base. For Catalonia, the potential is particularly strong: rural provinces like Lleida—where over 40% of the land is agricultural—have abundant feedstock and established farming infrastructure.
Livestock farmer Jordi Siscart described biogas as both a necessity and an opportunity: a pathway to sustainable livestock operations and rural income diversification. “If a new economy is to be created, a new type of industry is necessary,” he said, calling for closer cooperation between farmers, municipalities, and energy companies.
Despite growing awareness, the sector still faces systemic hurdles. Fragmented municipal cooperation, grid connection barriers, and limited financial mechanisms hinder scaling. Falguera noted that “Catalonia is losing competitiveness in the bioeconomy because we are not putting into practice what European regulations allow us to do.”
The emerging consensus among experts is that biogas should form the foundation of a new territorial industrial model.
