Brazil surpasses 1,800 biogas plants, according to a survey by CIBiogás.

Brazil has reached the milestone of 1,803 registered biogas plants and production close to 5 billion Nm³/year (Normal cubic meters per year) in 2025, consolidating a consistent growth cycle in the sector. This data is part of the Panorama of Biogas in Brazil 2025, launched on April 15th during the 8th Southern Brazilian Biogas and Biomethane Forum in Foz do Iguaçu (PR). Prepared by the International Center for Renewable Energies – Biogas (CIBiogás), the document highlights the progress in both the number of units and the volume produced, among other analyses of broad market interest. During the presentation, the CEO of CIBiogás, Felipe Souza Marques, emphasized the sector's growth and the evolution of the plants' profile in the country. “Brazil has reached 1,803 biogas plants, with a 5% growth in the number of units and a 6% increase in production volume compared to the previous year. This progress shows not only expansion but also gains in scale and efficiency of the plants,” he stated. According to him, the maturation of the market is also reflected in the changing profile of the ventures. “We are observing an important transformation: fewer plants entering the market each year, but with greater production capacity. This indicates technological evolution and more robust new business models,” he added. Marques emphasizes that the diversification of biogas energy use reinforces the sector's maturity. Currently, electricity generation remains the main destination, concentrating about 62% of the volume, while biomethane already accounts for approximately 34%, even though it represents a smaller share of plants. “This movement highlights a gradual transition in the sector. Biomethane is gaining ground as a strategic route, especially due to its insertion in the gas and transportation markets, operating in larger-scale plants,” the director points out. Complementing the data presented by Felipe, the technical director of CIBiogás, Daiana Gotardo Martinez, highlights that the sector's advancement also expands the role of biogas beyond traditional energy applications. “When we observe this growth, with Brazil reaching almost 5 billion Nm³ of biogas per year and an average double-digit expansion in the last decade, we are talking about a base that allows biogas to evolve towards new technological routes. The Panorama shows that the sector is beginning to position itself as a supplier of renewable molecules, with the potential for the production of biomethane, hydrogen, and other low-carbon fuels,” she states. According to her, this movement connects Brazil to global decarbonization trends and opens up space for strategic applications, such as advanced fuels. “Today, approximately 37% of biogas is already destined for biomethane production, demonstrating significant progress in the value chain. Based on this foundation, the document points to the development of routes such as synthesis gas, renewable methanol, synthetic fuels, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This significantly expands the role of biogas, which is no longer just a solution for waste management or energy generation but is now integrated into more complex chains, such as aviation and the chemical industry.” :: Race among states for biogas production The Biogas Panorama 2025 also details the distribution of production in the country and highlights the concentration of volume in a few states. São Paulo leads by a wide margin, reaching approximately 4.9 million Nm³/day, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with approximately 1.8 million Nm³/day. Following them are Paraná and Minas Gerais, both with volumes close to 1.5 and 1.2 million Nm³/day, respectively, consolidating themselves as relevant centers in national production. Pernambuco and Santa Catarina complete the intermediate group, while states such as Goiás, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, Ceará, and Espírito Santo are among the top ten producers, reflecting the gradual diversification of the activity in Brazilian territory. In addition to the consolidated leadership, the survey points to an interesting dynamic of regional growth. States like Paraná and Minas Gerais have been registering expansion rates higher than the national average in recent years, which could alter the ranking in the medium term. At the same time, the study highlights the still largely unexplored potential of the North and Northeast regions, where production remains incipient. This geographical concentration reinforces the importance of public policies and investments aimed at expanding the sector's reach and harnessing the potential for biogas generation in new frontiers, especially in areas with a high availability of agro-industrial and urban waste. :: Biomethane on a historic rise This is the biggest historical leap in terms of growth and projection for biomethane. Aline Scarpetta, Director of Market Strategies and Innovation at CIBiogás, explains that in 2025 the sector observed the highest growth rate ever recorded; however, the year 2026 shows a similar rise when considering requests for expansion and authorization from the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), signaling an expectation of a new growth record. "Because it is a biofuel regulated by the ANP, it has a greater vocation for commercialization, especially in the transportation sector, particularly for vehicular use," she states. The growth trend of biomethane is gaining even more momentum with the evolution of the regulatory environment, as exemplified by the two resolutions published by the National Program for Decarbonization of Natural Gas Producers and Importers and for Incentives to Biomethane, created by the Fuel of the Future law (14.993/2024), establishing the issuance and commercialization of the Biomethane Origin Guarantee Certificate (CGOB). “New energy demands, regulatory advancements, and integration with renewable fuel markets are also factors driving Brazilian biomethane. Especially the definition of the target by the CNPE (National Energy Policy Council) in early April,” he concludes. According to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), the sector's progress depends directly on the quality of available information. For the general coordinator of Sectoral Technologies, Rafael Menezes, mapping the sector is fundamental to supporting more assertive public policies. “The more qualified data we have, the greater our capacity to direct investments and strengthen the development of biogas and biomethane in the country.” The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) is coordinating a new phase of expansion for the sector, focusing on the North and Northeast regions, where there is still a low concentration of plants. The initiative involves partnerships with institutions such as CIBiogás, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, and Senai Cimatec, as well as coordination with the Ministries of Transport and Cities for the development of the regional bioeconomy and decarbonization of the transport sector. The executive director of the Brazilian Biogas Association (ABiogás), Tiago Santovito, emphasizes that the Panorama has become an essential tool for the sector and for reducing information asymmetry. “The Panorama is now the sector's main database. It organizes information that was previously scattered and allows companies, government, and investors to make more informed decisions,” he states. According to Santovito, the partnership between ABiogás and CIBiogás has advanced in structuring new solutions for the market, including the development of a digital platform that will allow for real-time monitoring of production data, installed capacity, and decarbonization impacts. “Building a robust tool that integrates current production data and future projects will be fundamental to supporting the definition of national goals and providing greater transparency to the market.” :: Panorama Updates The Panorama of Biogas in Brazil 2025 reaches its eighth edition with significant advancements in format and content. For the first time, the document was made available in a special print edition, in addition to the traditional digital version, expanding its reach and consolidating itself as a permanent record of the sector's evolution. The publication benefited from the support of 51 companies in mapping the data, reinforcing the collaborative nature of the survey, and includes analyses and comments from experts from strategic institutions such as the MCTI, ABiogás, the Energy Research Company (EPE), Itaipu Binacional, and the Brazilian Association of Regulatory Agencies (ABAR), strengthening its role as the main national reference for data, trends, and market intelligence on biogas and biomethane. With free access, the document can be downloaded directly from the link: https://materiais.cibiogas.org/panorama-do-biogas-2025-download-lp. 

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.