Biogas has the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 13%, the World Biogas Association said in its latest report released on Wednesday.
This is achieved through the generation of renewable energy in the form of biogas from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of wastes and landfill gas.
'AD is a ready-to-use technology to decarbonize heat for our buildings and transport for ourselves and our goods while producing a natural fertilizer co-product that can recycle nutrients back to the soil,' the Global Potential of Biogas report says.
AD allows for emissions avoidance through the management of organic wastes as fossil fertilizer manufacture, crop burning and deforestation becomes unnecessary.
Currently, about 2.2% of the global potential of AD is used, according to the report.
'The potential for the growth of the biogas industry is therefore extraordinary and involves every country,' the report underlines.
The potential to generate energy from AD is 10,100 to 14,000 terawatt-hours. When used as electricity, it has the potential to meet up to 22% of the electricity consumed globally.
If the energy is utilized as biomethane, it can substitute up to 37% of the current natural gas consumed globally, the report says.
By Zeynep Beyza Kilic
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr