Biogas and biomethane, are you familiar with them? They are not identical products, though their names are quite alike. Nonetheless, by these means the waste of daily life could be transformed into energy that is both clean and renewable.
In Brazil, organic waste is a problem that is often associated with environment. Yet this very material can turn out to be one of the major energy solutions of the country.
What Is Biogas?
Biogas is produced naturally when organic matter decomposes in environments without oxygen. This includes food scraps, animal manure, agricultural waste, vinasse from ethanol production, and the organic fraction of urban waste that ends up in landfills.
During decomposition, microorganisms break down this material and release biogas, a mixture primarily composed of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄).
And here’s the key point:
Methane is a greenhouse gas about 25 times more powerful than CO₂.
If released into the atmosphere, it accelerates global warming. But when captured and treated, methane becomes a renewable energy source with significant environmental and economic value.
Today, biogas is widely used around the world to produce electricity, heat, and fuel. In Europe, industrial plants convert agricultural waste into energy capable of supplying entire communities.
Brazil’s Untapped Potential
With a strong agricultural sector and a high volume of urban waste, Brazil has one of the world’s largest potentials for biogas and biomethane production.
Because the country already has a predominantly clean electricity mix, the greatest opportunity lies in upgrading biogas to biomethane.
What Is Biomethane?
To produce biomethane, biogas undergoes purification. During this process, impurities are removed, humidity is eliminated, and CO₂ and nitrogen are separated.
The result is biomethane, a gas containing around 95% methane, with high calorific value and performance comparable to natural gas. In other words, a 100% renewable fuel capable of replacing fossil fuels in industry and transportation.
Biomethane can:
- Supply boilers, furnaces, burners, and other industrial equipment
- Fuel light and heavy vehicle fleets, including buses and trucks
- Reduce dependence on diesel and natural gas
- Lower emissions and improve energy efficiency
- Double Environmental Benefit
- Using biomethane offers two major environmental gains:
- It prevents methane from waste from reaching the atmosphere.
- It replaces fossil fuels, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Replacing the diesel used by a single truck is comparable to planting more than 100 trees per year, showing how large-scale adoption can generate massive climate benefits.
Driving Local Development
Produced in Brazil, biomethane strengthens the local economy, creates green jobs, and stimulates new value chains. Every ton of CO₂ avoided contributes directly to national decarbonization and the global energy transition.
Biogas + Biomethane: A Circular Economy Solution
To sum up:
Biogas is generated from the decomposition of organic waste.
Biomethane is the upgraded, purified version of biogas, a high-efficiency, 100% renewable fuel capable of replacing fossil sources in industry and transportation.
This technology brings together circular economy principles, sustainability, and innovation, positioning Brazil as a global leader in clean energy.
Unioeste Boosts Renewable Energy Innovation in Western Paraná
Unioeste (Toledo campus) is emerging as a key research center for renewable energy in western Paraná, in the southern region of Brazil, a region dominated by agroindustry and high waste production. Led by professor Carlos Eduardo Borba, the university is developing advanced technologies to convert locally abundant biogas into biomethane and hydrogen, clean fuels essential for Brazil’s energy transition.
The team focuses on two core areas:
Biomethane production through selective adsorption that removes CO₂ and H₂S, creating a renewable fuel comparable to natural gas.
Hydrogen-rich syngas generation using dry reforming and shift reactions to transform methane and CO₂ into high-value industrial gases.
The research integrates major innovation networks such as NAPI-H2 and NAPI-Biogás and uses advanced mathematical models to determine the most efficient and economical use of biogas in each scenario.
These technologies help reduce methane emissions, convert agricultural waste into energy, and support cleaner transportation and industrial processes. Unioeste strengthens the regional circular economy by turning scientific research into real-world sustainable solutions.
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