Global Biogas Status, Challenges and Opportunities – An Overview

Olivier Dubois , FAO

GBEP Bioenergy Week

Buenos Aires, October 2018

Different Uses of Biogas - Old and New

Global Biogas Status: 1,27 EJ

Source: WBA 2017

Global Trends in Biogas Production

• Huge global increase –

– x4 in the last 15 years – from around 300 PJ in 2000 to 1 000-1 400 PJ in 2014

– In Asia x7 – China up by 16% between 2014 and 2015

• Global potential could be as much as 6% of global primary energy supply – ¼ of current consumption of fossil gas (WBA, 2016)

• Still only a fraction of biogas potential is currently exploited – e.g. <15% in Europe, <5% in Asia

Importance of Biogas in Global Energy Consumption

Source: WBA 2016

The Importance of Biogas in Global Energy Consumption is Very Small

Underexploited Biogas Potential Despite Tremendous Efforts and Support – Example: China

* Household

Less than 25% of potential rural households have biogas (Tong et al, 2015)

* Large scale

Recent trends in large scale livestock farms and those with

Biogas – China -Tong et al, 2015

Household biogas constraints and advantages

Evolution of Small-scale versus Medium-to -Large scale Biogas – e.g. in China

Xiaojiao et al, 2016

Some Challenges for Larger Biogas Systems

(i) Feedstock supply

• Ensure enough supply of good and affordablefeedstock

– In urban areas, a lot of feedstock but scattered – so logistical challenges

– In rural areas, need to concentrate source of feedstock and therefore need for big, knowledge intensive and costly farms + manage higher risks of pollution than for small-scale farms

• How to manage huge amounts of waste – maybe more middle-size units better

Some Challenges for Larger Biogas Systems (con’t)

(ii) Digester operations

All this requires more knowledge and money for R&D

Issue Possible solution

Interference between different types of bacteria

Separate operations using different types of bacteria

Control of medium conditions bearing in mind different types of feedstocks

Co-digestion of nitrogen-rich(animal manure) and carbon-rich materials (crop residues)

Address different digestion speeds for different material

Pretreat more difficult material to ease its digestion

Some Challenges for Larger Biogas Systems (ii) Applications of Biogas

Issue Possible solutions

Transportation costs (biogas and slurry)

Biogas users need to be close to the plant but not always wanted or feasible - maybe more middle-sizeunits

Alternatives to household use of biogas where households have access to electricity/natural gas

Examples• Post-harvest operations (cold chain, drying) –

Transport issue • Electricity generation ( incl. CHP)• Upgraded biogas for transportation (EU and

increasingly Asia – but this is expensive

Important CO2 emissions from biogas production

Use CO2 - for instance to grow algae that can be used to produce biomaterial and/or bioenergy

Some Challenges for Larger Biogas Systems (ii) Applications of Biogas

Issue Possible solutions

High operational costs • Farmers as shareholders – e.g. Hainan Province, China

• Combine with other types of RE• Biorefinery: The same company produces

biogas + other types of bioenergy + biomaterials High in knowledge and investment

Competition with other types of RE Consider also co-benefits of biogas compared to those of other types of RE (e.g. bio-fertiliser)

Low prices of fossil fuel Solutions are outside the biogas sector

Like for households, high dependency on government support to make it work, at least at the beginning of the operation

What Size for Biogas Operations?

• Challenges and opportunities with all sizes

• All sizes can coexist - it depends on local conditions (e.g. energy needs and supply, available feedstocks, stage of agricultural development, degree of urbanization). Perhaps:

– Household scale in remote areas

– Others elsewhere

– Several middle-scale instead of one large scale to reduce waste pollution risks and reduce transport costs

• What matters is that biogas benefits are realized for people and the environment

Key factors for the success of bioenergy projects, including biogas

• Adapted to local circumstances and needs

• Feedstock supply – Consistency and quality supply (quality and quantity)

– Clarity and agreement on costs

• Use of bioenergy/biogas– Clarity on possible applications – their challenges and opportunities

– Clarity/agreement on costs and sales price of bioenergy/biogas and by products throughout the value chain and related markets – maybe government as referee

• Adequate communication between and inclusive decision making process by relevant stakeholders in the value chain

• Supporting policies and regulations

Concluding Remarks

• A lot of good biogas but there is a huge potential to produce a lot more

• There are challenges and opportunities with all types of biogas systems

• Different types of biogas systems can co-exist – the choice should be made according to local circumstances and involve all relevant stakeholders of the biogas value chain

Concluding Remarks (con’t)

• It is interesting to consider biogas in combination with

– other types of bioenergy and/or other types of renewable energy

– the use of biogas by-products

• FAO has quite some experience on sustainable bioenergy/biogas, and is ready to provide more support to sustainable biogas development

Thank you for your attention

Olivier.Dubois@fao.org

www.fao.org/themes/energy