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According to the latest report released by IEA on Friday, the global supply of biogas and biomethane can meet 20% of the global demand for natural gas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Turkish news agency reported on March 22.
The IEA explained that biogas provides local energy and heat for communities and clean cooking fuel for families.
“More and more organic wastes are generated in modern society and economy, such as agricultural residues, food waste and animal manure, which can be used to produce biogas and biomethane, and these clean energy sources have multiple potential benefits for sustainable development,” IEA said.
It added that upgrading biogas to biomethane would bring all the energy system benefits of natural gas without the associated net emissions.
“Biogas and biomethane can play an important role in sustainable energy in the future, but at present we are missing opportunities to reduce waste and emissions,” said Fatih Birol, executive director of IEA.
He suggested that the promotion of governments could provide the necessary impetus for biogas and biomethane and bring benefits in the fields of energy, transportation, agriculture and environment.
The biggest prospect is in the Asia Pacific region, where gas demand and imports have grown rapidly in recent years. Nevertheless, North America, South America, Europe and Africa also offer significant opportunities, the report said.
“Recognizing the importance of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and methane is very helpful in improving the cost competitiveness of biomethane,” the report said.
“When governments seek to accelerate the transition to clean energy, they should not forget the importance of low-carbon gases such as biomethane and biogas,” Birol said Among other benefits, biogas and biomethane provide a way for rural communities and industry to participate in the transformation of the energy sector, he added.