Ence, through its subsidiary Ence Biogas, is targeting biomethane production of 1TWh in 2030, working with Spain’s agricultural biomass, livestock and the agri-food industry.
The company expects to close 2024 with 14 projects in environmental processing mainly in Castilla y León, Aragon, Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia.
The target was announced at the International Bioenergy Congress (October 1st-2nd) in Valladolid, where it also emphasised the importance of biomethane in achieving climate neutrality through the decarbonisation of the production system.
Ence has set a benchmark in forest mass management, and renewable energy generation with agricultural and forestry biomass, and developing a circular economy model.
The European Commission’s REPowerEU Plan gives biomethane a prominent role in achieving Europe’s energy independence objectives. However, in Spain there is still a long way to go.
According to the publication of the European Biogas Association (EBA) for 2024, Spain only has nine biomethane plants compared with 675 in France (477 in 2022), 254 in Germany, 133 in Italy and 119 in the UK.
According to EBA estimates, Europe will invest €24.5bn by 2030, led by Denmark (€3.6bn), Poland (€3.4bn), Italy (€2.4bn) and the UK (€2.3bn). Spain is expected to reach an investment of €1.5bn.
Source: McKinsey & Company
Given the considerable size of its agri-food and livestock sector, Spain stands out for its high potential in the production of biomethane. Spain has the fourth largest feedstock availability in Europe, estimated to be a potential 55 TWh/y of biomethane, with about 80% derived from manure and agricultural residues.
The renewable gas is 100% compatible with the existing gas infrastructure and also with all end-user equipment, which would make it possible to boost the decarbonisation of Spain’s economy. In addition, it has the capacity to promote the circular economy and revitalise rural areas through the creation of local employment.
Reaching Spain’s 20 TWh/y ambition with biomethane alone by 2030 would require it to increase production 11-fold, adding approximately 3 TWh of capacity annually, according to McKinsey.
Spain’s substantial feedstock potential and interest shown by the private sector provide reasons for optimism, it adds, although it also highlights three stumbling blocks to overcome: the permitting and regulatory framework; access to feedstock, since there is a lack of standardised off-the-shelf producer-supplier partnership models; and grid access, since most feedstock is located less than 20km from the grid.
