In Denmark, biogas is a success story built over four decades. This is how it was explained. Bruno Sander Nielsen, director of operations of the Danish Biogas Association, in an interview conducted on the occasion of his presence at the Danish national stand at the Renewable Gas Exhibition 2025where he shared his country's experience and lessons that can serve as a guide for Spain in its current process of expanding biomethane.
“After 40 years of work, Denmark has managed to replace 40% of its natural gas with biogas produced from agricultural, urban, and industrial waste,” Nielsen noted. Furthermore, 40% of the slurry and manure generated by the country's farms is already being treated in biogas plants, transforming it into a more efficient fertilizer and reducing both methane emissions and the risk of nitrate leaching.
Sander emphasized that Spain has all the necessary resources (a powerful agricultural sector, a large amount of organic waste, and a consolidated gas network) to follow a similar path, adapting the Danish model to local conditions.
One of his most relevant messages was related to the social acceptance“You can’t ask for it, you have to earn it, through good daily management,” Sander stated. He encourages Spanish developers and public officials to continue fostering dialogue with local communities, to provide transparent information, and to promote visits to operating plants so that residents can see firsthand the real benefits of these facilities: job creation, waste valorization, and reduced environmental impact.
The Danish experience demonstrates that biogas is a real route to decarbonizing the energy system and, perhaps more importantly, can boost the rural economy and improve the management of organic waste.
Spain has a good opportunity to turn the Danish example into its own benchmark within the new European map of greenhouse gases.