Biogas Sector

The GMI Biogas Subcommittee focuses on building capacity within Partner Countries to leverage common interests across the areas of agriculture, municipal solid waste, and municipal wastewater. These interests include biogas energy use, the types of wastes managed, waste treatment technologies, and the potential for synergistic projects involving input streams from multiple sources. Efforts include developing and promoting tools, policy guidance, and project development resources at the national, state, and city level within Partner Countries.

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GMI Technical Groups

Within the Biogas Sector, GMI maintains active technical groups in the areas of agriculture, municipal solid waste (MSW), and municipal wastewater. These groups provide international leadership to mitigate global methane emissions through the abatement, recovery, and use of methane. They promote collaboration between delegates from Partner Countries and Project Network members to build capacity, develop strategies, and expand opportunities for using methane as a renewable energy resource.

Agriculture

Methane emissions come from livestock enteric fermentation, livestock waste management, rice cultivation, and agricultural waste burning.

Municipal Solid Waste

Municipal solid waste management and treatment activities such as landfilling and anaerobic digestion are sources of methane emissions worldwide.

Municipal Wastewater

Methane is produced when the organic material in municipal wastewater decomposes anaerobically.

Upcoming Events

Biogas

National Methane Forum

24 April 2024, Dzorwulu, Ghana

Methane falls under short-lived climate pollutants, with shorter atmospheric lifetimes but more adverse environmental impacts. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that average atmospheric methane growth rates have increased more than ten-fold in the past two decades, which could worsen global climate change over the next decade, undermining the achievement of targets under the Paris Agreement.

These impacts reflect an urgent need for stakeholders to consider practical strategies to curb methane emissions.

ACEP, in partnership with Trust Africa, is hosting National Methane Forum to enhance stakeholder awareness and advocacy on methane management in Africa.

Join key stakeholders from government, industry, academia, and civil society to deepen understanding of methane emissions and their impacts and to explore practical strategies for mitigating these emissions.

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Biogas

Biogas Americas 2024

13–16 May 2024, Savannah, Georgia, United States

Biogas Americas is the largest gathering of the United States biogas industry as well as the annual conference of the American Biogas Council. This event brings together stakeholders in the biogas sector, including professionals and decision makers across the industry. With a focus on growing the biogas market through informing, training, and networking, the conference offers many opportunities to learn about the biogas industry.


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Biogas

10th International Conference on Renewable Energy Gas Technology, REGATEC 2024

15–16 May 2024, Lund, Sweden

The 10th International Conference on Renewable Energy Gas Technology, REGATEC 2024, will be held as a hybrid event from 15-16 May in Lund, Sweden. In collaboration with the national Syn Ferm project and the Horizon Europe project, Carbon Neutral LNG, the conference will feature sessions on methanation and syngas fermentation on the first day, and a biomass gasification symposium on the second day.


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Biogas

Deep Dive: Manure and Methane - What should we do with it?

16 May 2024, Bristol, United Kingdom

This event will offer an exploration of new perspectives, expansion of knowledge, and networking with fellow enthusiasts on the topic of manure and methane. Confirmed speakers include George Eustice, former Defra Minister, Andy Atkins from IFEAA, Dr. Laura Cardenas from Rothamsted, and Dr. David Lowry from Royal Holloway College. They are joined by Caroline Carroll from Cornwall LEP, Neil Ward from AFN network, James Rundell from Qube Renewables, Chris Mann from Bennamann, Penny Atkins from IFEAA, and Richard Gueterbock from Food Chains. This event will offer both in-person and online participation options.


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Biogas

International Biogas Congress and Expo

18–19 June 2024, Brussels, Belgium

The International Biogas Congress and Expo brings together leading producers, suppliers, regulators, and other engaged organizations in the biogas sector over a two-day period. High-level speakers, experts in their field, will address a range of topical issues relating to the biogas sector.


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Biogas

The World Biogas Expo

10–11 July 2024, Birmingham, United Kingdom

The World Biogas Expo, hosted by the World Biogas Association and the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association, is the global trade show for the biogas sector, where visitors can discover the latest innovations, network, share best practices, and develop business relationships. Held annually, the World Biogas Expo offers thought-leadership and insights into the anaerobic digestion and biogas industry's potential to deliver the circular economy of organic wastes, delivering 50% of the Global Methane Pledge, and a 10% cut in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.


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Biogas

International Conference on Biogas Science and Technologies

12 July–9 August 2024, Ottawa, Canada

The International Conference on Biogas Science and Technologies aims to bring together leading academic scientists and researchers to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of biogas science and technologies. This event provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of the biogas science and technology. 


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Biogas

International Conference on Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas

22–23 July 2024, Berlin, Germany

The International Conference on Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas aims to bring together leading academic scientists and researchers to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of anaerobic digestion and biogas. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns, as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of anaerobic digestion and biogas.

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Biogas

International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) 2024 Waste to Wealth: Solutions for a Sustainable Future

15–18 September 2024, Cape Town, South Africa

The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) invites you to join them for the ISWA2024 Conference in Cape Town, South Africa from 15 to 18 September 2024 taking place for the first time on African soil.  Come and experience Cape Town, South Africa’s beauty, culture, and vibrance. The conference's aim is to establish a lasting legacy by catalyzing the transformation of Africa's abundant resources from waste to wealth, paving the way for sustainable solutions.


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Biogas

Biogas PowerON 2024

25–26 September 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark

The 6th European Biogas PowerON 2024 Conference will bring together top-level experts from the biogas sector, including end-users across the entire value chain, technology providers, equipment manufacturers, project representatives, market analysts, consultants, research experts, government representatives, business analysts, and others. This two-day event will feature presentations by industry experts and will highlight case studies, providing a comprehensive overview of the biogas sector, new regulations, changing market dynamics, and more.


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View GMI Calendar

Recent Events

 NameDateLocationSectorLink
Biogas 2024 Value of Biogas East Conference 15–17 April 2024 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Biogas View Details
Biogas Biofuels Expo 2024 11–12 April 2024 Rome, Italy Biogas View Details
Biogas 2024 Global Methane Forum 18–21 March 2024 Geneva, Switzerland Biogas, Coal Mines, Oil and Gas, Steering, Agriculture, MSW, Wastewater View Details
Biogas GMI Webinar: GHG Emissions from the Municipal Wastewater Sector in Indonesia 13 March 2024 Virtual Biogas View Details
Biogas GMI Biogas Subcommittee Workshop Series: Methane Mitigation Project Phases, Practical Solutions, and GHG Emission Quantification 5 March 2024 Virtual Biogas View Details
Biogas GMI Webinar: GHG Emissions from the Domestic Wastewater Sector in India 4 March 2024 Virtual Biogas View Details
Biogas Introducing WasteMAP: A New Tool to Track and Reduce Waste Methane Emissions 29 February 2024 Virtual Biogas View Details
Biogas GMI Biogas Subcommittee Workshop Series: Global Opportunities and Strategies for Addressing Landfill Methane 23 January 2024 Virtual Biogas View Details
Biogas 8th Biogas Congress 14–15 December 2023 Warsaw, Poland Biogas View Details
Biogas Biogas Convention & Trade Fair 2023 12–14 December 2023 Hanover, Germany Biogas View Details

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Biogas Subcommittee

Subcommittee Co-chairs

Godfred Fiifi Boadi, Co-Chair
Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources
Ghana

Matt Hamilton, Co-Chair
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
Canada

Monica Shimamura, Co-Chair
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
United States

Subcommittee Members

Representatives from 38 countries participate in the Biogas Subcommittee.

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Project Network

Hundreds of Project Network members support methane abatement projects in the biogas sector.

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Biogas Subcommittee Statement of Purpose
Biogas Subcommittee Statement of Purpose

Tell Us Your Story

Learn how you can showcase your efforts to reduce methane emissions in the biogas sector through the Global Methane Challenge.

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Connect, Contribute, and Stay in Touch

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Featured Tools

Check out these featured tools.

View all biogas resources

Biogas Toolkit (U.S. EPA) (2020)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Biogas Toolkit serves as a centralized knowledge hub for biogas project stakeholders. The toolkit is designed to allow stakeholders to search and browse for information and resources that meet their specific project needs. The toolkit includes information and resources compiled from across several EPA programs, including AgSTAR, the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), and GMI.

Solid Waste Emissions Estimation Tool (SWEET) (2020)

SWEET is a free Excel tool created by the Waste Initiative. SWEET helps users scope emissions sources such as waste collection and transportation, open burning, landfill gas collection systems, organic waste management projects, waste handling equipment (e.g., bulldozers), and waste incineration facilities. It estimates waste sector emissions including methane, black carbon, and several other pollutants. It also evaluates emissions reduction benefits of multiple alternative waste management scenarios.

OrganEcs (2016)

OrganEcs aims to help local decision makers in their first evaluation of different treatment options (e.g., composting options and/or anaerobic digestion options). OrganEcs helps users determine the economic feasibility of waste management scenarios by calculating tipping fees, sales of products (e.g., organic compost), and the internal rate of return. OrganEcs use requires expert support.

Biogas Wastewater Assessment Technology Tool (BioWATT) (2016)

The Biogas Wastewater Assessment Technology Tool (BioWATT) provides a quick and preliminary assessment of wastewater-to-energy projects. Through BioWATT, users can receive a specific summary of their biogas production estimates for various wastewater-to-energy technologies, electricity generation potential from the produced biogas, greenhouse gas savings associated with biogas-generated electricity, and more.

International Best Practices Guide for Landfill Gas Energy Projects (2012)

Global Methane Initiative’s (GMI) International Best Practices Guide for Landfill Gas Energy Projects provides a broad overview of the development process for LFGE projects in international settings and presents the technological, economic and political considerations that typically affect the success of LFGE projects. The goal of the guide is to encourage environmentally and economically sound LFGE projects by connecting stakeholders with available information, tools and services. The guide is not intended to provide a step-by-step protocol for project development.

Central and Eastern Europe Landfill Gas Model

The Model can be used to estimate landfill gas generation rates from SWD sites, and potential landfill gas recovery rates for disposal sites that have, or plan to have, gas collection and control systems and are located in Central or Eastern European countries. The Model also may be used for SWD sites in other countries which experience similar site conditions and climate, and have waste composition data.

User Manual

Colombia Landfill Gas Model

The Model can be used to estimate landfill gas generation rates from landfills, and potential landfill gas recovery rates for landfills that have, or plan to have, gas collection and control systems in Colombia.

User Manual

Spanish Version: Colombia Landfill Gas Model and User Manual

Recent Resources

For a complete list of available biogas resources, including technical documents, presentations, and tools, please visit the resources page.

View all biogas resources

Market Opportunities for Anaerobic Digestion of Livestock and Agro-Industrial Wastes in India (2020)

The report on the Market Opportunities for Anaerobic Digestion of Livestock and Agro-Industrial Wastes in India will help inform project developers, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders about the potential for biogas capture and use in India. The report estimates biogas production and emission reduction potential from India’s largest agricultural sectors, and it includes an overview of the uses of biogas and digestate, current biogas policies, technology options, and business models relevant for India.

Scaling Sludge Mountains: Breaking Down Barriers for Chinese Cities to Turn Sludge Waste into Energy (2019)

The Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum (CEF) produced this sludge scoping report for the U.S. EPA and the Global Methane Initiative. The report describes drivers that created mountains of municipal sludge, introduces key political and research entities involved in sludge regulation in China, reviews obstacles in adoption of anaerobic digestion, provides a case study of the challenges facing sludge-to-energy projects, and highlights opportunities for U.S. government, cities, and companies to engage with Chinese government agencies.

Naucalpan, Mexico Waste Characterization Study (2019)

In March 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – as a lead partner in the Waste Initiative – conducted a waste characterization study at the municipality’s transfer station. The study indicated that approximately 69% of the waste handled at the transfer station could be recycled or otherwise diverted from the landfill, and that more than half of the waste could be used as feedstock in composting or anaerobic digestion projects. The municipality is using the results of the study to inform decision making about the project design and procurement options.

From Farm to Table to Energy: Co-digesting China’s Urban Food Waste in Wastewater Treatment Plants (2019)

Prepared by the Wilson’s Center China Environment Forum with assistance provided by GMI, the report highlights food waste trends in Chinese cities and assesses the possibilities of redirecting food waste to municipal wastewater (MWW) and sludge-to-energy (StE) plants. This report also highlights some specific gaps that GMI and other organizations could help fill and potential Chinese partners to engage with to highlight the environmental and economic benefits of co-digestion.

Biogas Done Right - Introduction (2019)

Jorge Hilbert explains and introduces the importance of biogas in the agricultural sector, while additionally explaining biogas’s potential for increasing future energy efficiency and technological sustainability.

Using Animal Manure as a Resource (2019)

Anaerobic digestion, or AD, is the biological process that breaks down biological materials like compost or manure into biogas. Livestock manure accounts for 3 percent of man-made methane emissions globally. Methane, when captured and stored, can be used to generate electricity and heat, or it can be processed into natural gas fuel. By capturing the biogas, we are also preventing the release of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, to the atmosphere.

Methane Mitigation Matters: Climate Change (2015)

Methane is a prevalent manmade greenhouse gas that traps 28 times more heat than carbon dioxide (CO2). Reducing methane emissions by recovering and using methane as a clean energy source offers many benefits for the environment and local communities. This video highlights the many ways that reducing methane can benefit the environment and local communities.