Sistema.bio Expands Global Impact With Biodigester Technology

Sistema.bio, a Mexican biodigester company, has expanded its global impact to over 30 countries worldwide. The company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve sustainability in agricultural practices at all scales, reaching small farms and international agrifood sector companies. 

Founded in 2010, Sistema.bio offers training and financing to address challenges such as poverty, food security, and climate change. The company focuses on working with small producers, offering practical and efficient solutions for producing renewable energy and high-quality organic fertilizers.

In 2023, the firm inaugurated the world's largest biodigester factory in India, with an investment of US$1.8 million. This new facility complements Sistema.bio’s factory in Toluca, Mexico, the company's first production plant, which remains the supply hub for Mexico, Central America, South America, and the United States. With a daily capacity of 360 units, the new plant can produce up to 100,000 units annually, doubling the company's production capacity.

According to its 2022-2023 sustainability report, Sistema.bio works with over 53,200 farms in 31 countries worldwide. By 2023, it had installed more than 63,000 biodigesters, with 9,000 of those in Mexico. By 2025, the company aims to impact over 1.5 million people on 290,000 farms, leading to the reduction of 5Mt of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and creating more than US$100 million in net economic benefits in rural economies. By 2030, it aims to reduce 1% of the world's annual GHG emissions.

More recently, Sistema.bio has begun collaborating with major food industry companies to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their operations. Companies such as Heineken and Danone are partnering to implement advanced biodigester technologies in their supply chains. In the case of the brewery, sludge biodigesters were installed at their wastewater treatment plants. The biogas produced from this process is directly injected into production boilers, reducing CO2 emissions by 32%. Through actions like this, Heineken aims to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Danone seeks to reduce methane emissions by 30% in its fresh milk supply chain by 2030. To achieve this, the company will implement various measures to improve farm practices, including using methane-reducing cattle breeds, optimizing feed regimes, keeping cows productive longer, and utilizing manure to produce biogas. The Franco-Spanish company has committed to work directly with 58,000 producers in 20 countries to reduce emissions. "As one of the world's leading dairy companies, we take on the challenge of producing more to feed a growing population, while significantly reducing emissions and their impact on the climate," said Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO, Danone.

Data from The World Bank highlights that agriculture generates between 19% and 29% of global GHG emissions. It is also the predominant source of methane, the second-largest contributor to global warming after CO2. This comes primarily from livestock farms, which account for approximately 32% of methane emissions. Additionally, another significant source is paddy rice cultivation, which represents another 8% of human-related emissions.

One of the most cost-effective solutions for reducing emissions from agricultural and livestock activities is biogas production. According to the European Biogas Association (EBA), the sector has the potential to reduce global GHG emissions by up to 13%. Furthermore, total emission savings using biogas and biomethane can reach up to 240% compared to fossil fuels.