The new call prioritizes well-sized projects, linked to livestock farmers and aimed not only at producing renewable energy, but also at improving the management of manure and digestate.
Catalonia has opened a new aid program of 25 million euros to promote the implementation of biogas plants and the treatment of digestate, valuing projects that are more linked to the territory, to the local management of organic resources and to the participation of the livestock sector.
The call, promoted by the Department of Agriculture, Branches, Fisheries and Food of the Generalitat, will be open until June 29, 2026 and is directed to biogas facilities that treat livestock manure along with other co-substrates, as well as to facilities for the treatment of digestate resulting from the anaerobic digestion process.
Among the new features of this line, it is worth noting that Plants with a maximum treatment capacity of 150.000 tons per year will be prioritized.The projects promoted by livestock groups and those working with local resources are also included. According to information published by the Generalitat and reported by various media outlets, the call for proposals aims to favor projects that are "well-proportioned" and "adapted to the territory," reducing unnecessary transport and strengthening the connection between the treatment plants and the areas where livestock manure and other organic waste are generated.
The measure It is part of the Catalan Biogas Strategy 2024-2030The document proposes a distributed model of plants linked to the local production of organic materials. It sets a target of managing approximately 8,5 million tons of organic materials by 2030, increasing primary energy production from biogas by 3,3 times to reach 2 TWh annually, and reducing CO₂ equivalent emissions by more than 350.000 tons.
The call for proposals places biogas on a broader level than simply energy generation. The plants allow for the transformation of livestock manure, agri-food waste, and other organic materials into renewable energy and digestate, a material that, when properly treated and applied, can become organic fertilizer and help reduce pressure on soils and aquifers in areas with high livestock density.
The own Catalan digest strategy It emphasizes that the viability of the plants necessarily depends on sound environmental, agronomic, economic, and social management of the digestate. It also points out that its valorization can generate high-quality organic fertilizers, reduce dependence on fertilizers from third countries, and facilitate the export of nutrients from surplus areas to deficit territories.
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Generalitat de Catalunya, The Economist, La Vanguardia
Image from GENCAT