92% of the biogas produced in Brazil could originate from agriculture, but the lack of incentives and adequate infrastructure are still barriers to the sector’s growth, according to the Brazilian Association for Energy Recovery from Waste (ABREN). Despite the country’s immense potential to produce this renewable fuel, the sector faces challenges that limit its expansion and impact on the national energy matrix.
Brazil has ideal conditions to become a global leader in biogas production, with a strong agricultural industry and a vast amount of organic waste available for energy conversion. Studies indicate that annual generation could reach 82.5 billion cubic meters, leveraging by-products from pig, cattle, and poultry farming, as well as agricultural residues such as sugarcane bagasse. However, currently, less than 1.5% of this potential is effectively utilized.
Biogas presents a sustainable energy alternative, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and helping mitigate climate change. Capturing and utilizing biogas minimize methane emissions, a greenhouse gas with a warming potential 25 times greater than CO₂. Additionally, using this resource can generate cost savings for rural producers, enabling energy self-sufficiency and even the commercialization of surplus energy.
Companies like Eva Energia have demonstrated how the transformation of waste into renewable energy can be viable and profitable. With operations focused on converting agricultural and urban waste into electricity, the company exemplifies how the private sector can drive biogas expansion in Brazil.
Despite the environmental and economic benefits, the biogas production chain still faces structural and regulatory obstacles. The lack of government incentives, difficulty accessing financing, and inadequate infrastructure for waste collection and processing are factors that slow the sector’s growth. According to the Energy Research Company (EPE), Brazil’s technical potential for biogas production could exceed 97 billion Nm³ per year by 2031, but without targeted public policies, this estimate may not materialize.
The viability of biogas projects requires significant investments in technology, as well as integration with other renewable energy sources, such as biomass and biomethane. Currently, the fragmentation of initiatives and the lack of a clear regulatory framework hinder the expansion of new production plants.
Despite these challenges, some initiatives have already established themselves in Brazil’s biogas sector. Eva Energia, for example, began operations in 2019 with the inauguration of Brazil’s largest swine biogas plant, located in Mato Grosso. Additionally, in 2022, the company expanded its activities to electricity generation from landfill gas, launching biogas plants in the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Today, Eva Energia’s plants have a total installed capacity of approximately 20MW, supplying energy to local utilities and contributing to the energy transition of various companies. This experience demonstrates how biogas utilization can be scalable and efficient, provided there is a favorable regulatory environment and adequate investments.
Biogas represents a strategic opportunity for Brazil to reduce its carbon footprint and strengthen its energy security. However, for this solution to be widely adopted, financial, regulatory, and infrastructure barriers must be overcome. Companies like Eva Energia show that the private sector can lead this transformation, but biogas expansion will only be fully viable with the support of effective public policies and targeted investments.
The potential is clear: with proper planning and incentives, biogas can become a key pillar of Brazil’s energy transition, delivering environmental, economic, and social benefits to the country.
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