Naturgy has intensified its commitment to biomethane as a key piece in the energy transition in Spain, placing renewable gases in the center of a strategy that combines innovation, multisectoral alliances and a determined guidance towards the circular economy.
The biomethane, obtained from urban, agricultural, livestock and industrial waste, is according to the company a sustainable alternative that not only reduces emissions, but also promotes efficient waste management and the generation of new resources, such as organic fertilizers and non -polluting irrigation water.
Strategic signatures
One of Naturgy ‘growth pillars in this area has been the signing of strategic agreements with companies specialized in waste valorization and biomethane production.
Thus, an alliance with Hispania Silva has been established, which foresees the construction of at least 20 plants (with the possibility of reaching 30) distributed throughout Spain and operational before 2030. These facilities will have the capacity to generate 2.5 TWH per year of biomethane, sufficient to supply half a million homes and avoid the issuance of 450,000 tons of CO₂, a figure comparable to the planting of 49 million pines. This collaboration is complemented by Naturgy’s entry into the capital of Reycle, company of the Hispania Silva group, which will manage waste for new plants and those already existing under this agreement.
The expansion of the biomethane is also reinforced with the recent agreement with Bioeco Energías, oriented to the development of new plants with a joint production capacity of more than 500 GWh per year. In this way, the total capacity promoted by Naturgy in collaboration with Hispania Silva and Bioeco Energías amounts to 3 twh, equivalent to the consumption of 600,000 homes.
These initiatives not only contribute to decarbonization and energy independence, but also return to the field fertilizers of proximity and non -polluting water, closing the circle of the circular economy and providing sustainable solutions to local waste management.
Naturgy’s impulse has been accelerated by the agreement with ID Energy Group for the development of at least 20 new plants in Spain, after an investment of 500 million euros. These projects, with a productive capacity of 1,600 GWh per year and planned by 2028, will allow to decarbonize the equivalent of 320,000 homes and generate biofertilizers, optimizing the available resources and reinforcing the circular economy in the Spanish energy sector.
Consumer support
The role of biomethane is also key to homes of households. According to a study by Salvetti Llombart for Nedgia, the Naturgy gas distributor, 72% of respondents believe that renewable gas adapts to their needs and 65% stands out against other renewable energies due to their continuous and non -seasonal character.
Among the most valued aspects are the ability to take advantage of local resources, the reduction of environmental impact and energy autonomy that its national production implies. In addition, all current boilers are prepared to work 100% with biomethane, without the need for additional investment or infrastructure adaptation, which makes this gas the simplest and most economical option to decarbonize Spanish households. With only 30% of the estimated biomethane potential in Spain, it would be possible to decarbonize the entire housing park of the country without costs for the owners, using the existing gas network as a backbone axis of this transformation.
The circular economy stands as one of the great values of the biomethane. Its production is based on livestock and agricultural waste, which allows optimizing resources and reducing the problems associated with waste. The process generates organic fertilizers that return to the field, closing the cycle and generating value in primary sectors. This model contributes to environmental sustainability and energizes the rural economy, creating direct and indirect employment both in the operation and maintenance of plants and in its construction.
Employment and leadership
It is estimated that the full development of the biomethane could generate more than 20,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs, in addition to 35,000 direct jobs and 465,000 indirects associated with the construction of facilities.
Spain, with an estimated biomethane production potential in 163 twh per year (the third largest in Europe), could cover 40% of the national demand for natural gas and avoid the emission of 8.3 million tons of methane to the atmosphere. The development of this sector would also involve saving up to 4,000 million euros in energy imports. The growth of the biomethane in 2024 has been significant, the sector demands support mechanisms to accelerate its deployment and consolidate Spain as a reference in renewable gases and circular economy.