Biomethane production in Brazil has grown and gas is cited as a source for decarbonization in the transport sector. According to the survey carried out by Abiogás, there are 25 biomethane plants expected to start operating by 2027 with projects in which investment exceeds R$ 1 billion. With this, it is expected to reach 2.3 million m/³ day of produced volume.
The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that the mitigation measures needed to tackle climate change are urgent.
The IPCC is a UN climate advisory body and was created in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization. Its objective is to monitor and disseminate relevant research related to climate change.
How does decarbonization relate to biogas? Decarbonization is the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of energy sources with low carbon content or a source with the least possible emissions. Thus, renewable gases are called upon to play an important role in the decarbonization of the economy.
The low carbon economy is a project that proposes actions with the objective of reducing the impacts of the generation of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) on the environment. By encouraging a low carbon economy, countries are able to develop the economy, generate employment and invest in sustainability.
Biogas in Brazil is an energy source that has enormous potential, but not yet explored. It is possible to obtain the gas from several sources, such as biomass, organic solid waste from sanitary landfills and animal waste. According to the Energy Research Company (EPE), currently the main source of biogas production is landfills, with 51%, followed by the beverage and food industries with 25% and swine farming with 14%.
To encourage the production of biogas and biomethane in Brazil, the government launched measures for the sector. The actions are in line with the commitments made by the country at the 26th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) to decarbonize the energy matrix. Currently, Brazil uses only 2% of what it could produce from these fuels. In other words, there is a huge space for development in the area, however, investments and legislation are essential for this growth.