Quadrupling biogas production requires action at all levels

Europe has the potential to expand biogas-derived biomethane substantially. A Guidehouse study for the European Biogas Association indicates that by 2030 biomethane production could reach 34-35 bcm, with the potential to almost quadruple to 116-132 bcm by 2040 given appropriate policy support and infrastructure.

Current biogas production across Europe stands at roughly 22 bcm, including about 5 bcm of biomethane, indicating underutilization of available resources. Deployment is constrained by regulatory barriers, underscoring the need for a stable and coherent policy framework to accelerate scale and meet energy and climate objectives.

Beyond policy momentum, reliable technologies are required to boost operational efficiency and increase the value recovered from biogas outputs, including digestate and energy co-products. The report identifies the greatest potential for biomethane in 2040 in several countries and highlights that efficiency gains at every stage of the production chain are essential to maximize output from sustainable feedstocks such as marginal or contaminated land.

2040 biomethane potential by country

• Spain: c. 13.2 bcm/yr
• Germany: c. 11.1 bcm/yr
• France: c. 10.8 bcm/yr
• Poland: c. 6.8 bcm/yr
• Italy: c. 64. Bcm/yr
• United Kingdom: c. 6.1 bcm/yr

Realizing these figures also requires securing sustainable feedstock production and sourcing, including use or restoration of marginal and contaminated land, to reduce Europe's exposure to fossil fuel shocks and to support long-term resilience of biogas supply chains.

HRS Heat Exchangers provides heat-transfer solutions for the anaerobic digestion and biogas sector, enabling energy that would otherwise be wasted to be recaptured for digester heating, digestate treatment, biogas dehumidification and exhaust gas heat recovery. The company offers both standard and specialised systems aligned with AD/biogas processes.

Specialised systems include the HRS Biogas Dehumidification System (BDS), the Digestate Pasteurisation System (DPS) and the Digestate Concentration System (DCS). From single DTI Series heat exchangers for external digester heating to multi-unit configurations comprising more than 380 heat exchanger modules, these solutions address both new plant builds and upgrades. They support compliance with regulatory benchmarks such as PAS 110 and Class A Biosolids and have been installed across agricultural, sewage treatment, food waste and landfill biogas facilities worldwide.

For operators seeking to scale biogas output while improving thermal efficiency and reducing waste, HRS systems offer a technically grounded path across the full production chain.