In 2022, Brazil saw 114 new biogas plants come online, marking a 15% increase compared to the previous year. These figures were revealed in the 2022 Overview of Biogas in Brazil, a report released on Monday (4) by the International Center for Renewable Energy and Biogas (CIBiogás), located at the Itaipu Technology Park (PTI) in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná.
The study indicated that Brazil now has 936 biogas plants installed, of which 885 are in operation, generating approximately 2.8 billion normal cubic meters per year (Nm³/year). Among the various energy applications of biogas, biomethane stood out with an impressive 82% increase in the number of plants. These plants are responsible for converting 22% of the biogas produced in Brazil, totaling 359.8 million Nm³/year of biomethane. To put this figure into perspective, this is equivalent to traveling 3,598 million km/year in light-duty vehicles and 900 million km/year in heavy-duty vehicles.
Rafael González, CEO of CIBiogás, emphasized that this growth reflects the commitment of industry participants, who are investing in renewable energy sources to diversify Brazil’s energy mix. He also highlighted the crucial role of agriculture and livestock in this progress, with 63% of the new plants in operation in 2022 coming from these sectors. This underscores the importance of renewable sources not only in terms of energy but also in how they can positively impact various production chains, highlighting their value across different sectors of the economy.
Generally, natural gas emits less carbon dioxide than coal; however, scientists point out that the focus should be entirely on increasing clean energy sources, not to mention the fact that supporting new gas projects will only prolong the use of fossil fuels.
As for nuclear energy, the main argument in its favor is that it does not directly produce carbon emissions, but opponents raise concerns about safety, including how to store the radioactive waste it produces. In addition, nuclear power plants are expensive and often plagued by delays.
According to Bas Eickhout, a Dutch lawmaker in the European Parliament, speaking to CNN, calling natural gas “sustainable” contradicts the European Union’s calls for the rest of the world to decarbonize their economies as quickly as possible.
Although the proposal had been put forward months before the war in Ukraine, it gained momentum mainly because the bloc’s countries were highly dependent on Russian energy sources, which were banned after the conflict began.
The European Union has pledged to reduce emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 and to become a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. As a result, all pollutant emissions will be drastically reduced, and any remaining emissions will be offset, either through natural methods such as tree planting or through technology designed to capture them.
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