Opportunities for the Development of the Biogas Sector in Mexico

It is important to highlight the role of biogas in the global energy transition due to its ability to address multiple environmental, economic, and social challenges, sustainably, as well as its versatility, as it is considered an energy vector.

One of the main opportunities for biogas production and use is its significant contribution to diversifying the energy matrix by providing a renewable and sustainable energy source that can be incorporated almost directly into the hydrocarbon sector. This reduces dependence on fossil fuels and promotes a more balanced and resilient energy system.

Biogas is a fuel generated from organic residues; if it were not treated in this way, it would simply be discarded. Thus, biogas production also addresses sanitation issues and plays a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This can be described simply: When biogas is processed to obtain biomethane, the methane produced by the decomposition of organic matter is captured and utilized. This prevents the release of potent GHGs into the atmosphere, thus helping to mitigate climate change and improve air quality. Moreover, by converting organic waste into clean energy sources, environmental pollution is reduced, waste generation is minimized, and circular economy practices are promoted, efficiently closing the resource life cycle.

In specific cases where biogas is produced from biodigesters, there are particular opportunities not necessarily related to biogas itself but to the byproduct known as digestate. Digestate is a versatile and valuable resource that can be used in various ways to benefit different sectors.

Among the main uses of digestate are soil improvement or fertilization (depending on its composition) because it is a rich source of nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other essential elements for plant growth. It also enhances water retention capacity, aeration, and the soil’s biological activity, resulting in more fertile and healthy soils. Additionally, it can be used as animal feed or even for heat production, depending on its characteristics.

Regarding development opportunities, some overlooked points include that biogas projects can be developed on different scales, generating employment regardless of the scale, similarly driving economic development in local communities, impacting sectors such as agriculture, energy, and waste management, and improving the quality of life.

Moreover, using biogas in key sectors like transportation/mobility, electricity generation, and industrial heating contributes to the decarbonization of the energy sector, now called defossilization. This paves the way toward a low-carbon economy and helps meet international emission reduction commitments.

Mexico has been identified as a country with significant potential for biogas production due to the large amount of organic waste available, which comes from various sources, including the agro-industrial sector and municipal solid waste.

To fully harness Mexico's biogas production potential, the development of policies and regulations that encourage investment in biogas projects is crucial, as well as the promotion of sustainable technologies and practices in organic waste management. This is often seen as a challenge, but it is an opportunity for the country to lay the necessary foundations for the development of a safe and organized industry.

From the experiences of other countries that have developed the biogas sector, as well as Mexico’s own biogas experiences, it is clear that greater awareness and education about the environmental and economic benefits of biogas are needed to drive national adoption. Developing a new national roadmap and addressing the real challenge of maintaining ongoing initiatives led by the competent authorities (CRE, SENER, SEMARNAT, and others), as well as integrating the industry (led by the National Biogas Council), is essential.

Significant advances include the agreement currently being worked on by the Energy Regulatory Commission, which will allow the natural gas sector to green its processes through the injection of biomethane into its distribution networks, thereby diversifying the energy matrix. Additionally, obtaining the first biogas production permit for biomethane issued to Brimex Energy by the Ministry  of Energy is a precedent showing that projects are viable and that Mexico is interested in harnessing the mentioned potential.