Biogas production in Brazil : Barriers and strategies for overcoming them
Authors: Zanatta Hanna , Kanda Wisdom , Tonderski Karin 
Published: September 2024

Addressing environmental challenges while improving social and economic conditions calls for innovative solutions. One of those challenges is the management of organic waste, which if left untreated can lead to water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil degradation. Brazil produces substantial amounts of organic waste due to its sizeable population and extensive agricultural production. As one of the largest economies in the Global South, the development of innovative solutions to organic waste management in Brazil can potentially pave the way for their adoption in other countries within the Global South. Biogas systems are solutions for organic waste treatment that simultaneously make use of the energy content, reduce gas emissions, and facilitate nutrient recycling. Nevertheless, their multifaceted nature also entails numerous barriers to their widespread implementation. Thus, this report explores the barriers to the development of biogas systems in Brazil and possible strategies to overcome these.Diverse data collection methods were used in the study. A literature review helped identified overall barriers to biogas systems development. This was followed by a field study in Brazil, involving visits to biogas facilities and interviews with stakeholders. The results were combined to understand the impact of the identified barriers across sectors. Finally, a workshop with Brazilian and Swedish stakeholders helped validate the findings and explore possible strategies to overcome barriers to biogas systems development.In the report barriers across eight categories are discussed, namely technological, economic, market, regulatory, cultural, environmental, network, and biomethane barriers. Technological barriers include lack of specialized knowledge, which leads to challenges in operation and maintenance of biogas reactors. Another type of technological barrier is limited access to infrastructure such as gas pipelines and sewage networks, which leads to technical challenges regarding both substrate supply and gas handling. High initial investments and funding accessibility are the most prominent economic barriers. Market barriers include competition with cheaper waste treatment solutions, lack of structured markets for biogas, and limited access to markets. The absence of a national biogas-specific policy, spatial diversity in state-level regulations; together with few and isolated incentives for biogas production are the major regulatory barriers. Cultural barriers include limited knowledge among society and substrate holders about biogas benefits, resistance to waste segregation practices, and sectoral structures hindering collaboration across the biogas value chain. Although environmental aspects of biogas systems are usually drivers to the implementation of biogas facilities, concerns such as gas leaks, odors, and soil contamination risks associated with poor facility design and performance are environmental barriers. Network barriers stem from limited platforms for discussion and interaction among actors, ultimately delaying the establishment of a unified national agenda for biogas development. Due to its characteristics, the production, distribution, and utilization of biomethane face additional challenges across various barrier categories, with major obstacles including uncertainties in grid injection contracts and infrastructure, as well as the expectation that biomethane prices should match those of natural gas.To overcome some of the barriers presented above, the study explored two strategies that could be pursued by actors interested in biogas systems development in Brazil. First, biogas cooperatives are proposed as one solution, allowing resource pooling for technology investment and enhanced biogas production. Second, dedicated biogas producers could play a crucial role,viparticularly in addressing financing challenges and ensuring efficient operation. Dedicated biogas producers could improve the technical efficiency and environmental performance of biogas facilities. Options for biogas utilization include electricity generation and biomethane production, with the latter offering tax benefits and reduced transportation costs when producers can use the biomethane for transportation themselves.The report highlights barriers across various dimensions and addresses strategies to overcome these barriers, such as biogas cooperatives and dedicated biogas producers. Future research could focus on testing these strategies in the Brazilian context through case studies, pilot projects, and collaborative initiatives to refine interventions and accelerate the adoption of biogas technologies.