Biogas and biomethane in Brazil: overview and perspectives

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v63i0.88929

Keywords:

biofuels, biogas, biomethane, energy transition, decarbonization.

Abstract

It is estimated that Brazil can currently produce 84.6 billion Nm³/year, the world's largest potential for the production of biogas and, consequently, of biomethane. However, the Brazilian potential is not exploited. Despite a 779% growth between 2011 and 2020, biogas production remains at levels close to 1.5% of the national potential. Federal legislation is insufficient, and state-level legislation is not present in all federative units. The objective of the current study is to understand the regulatory situation of the biogas and biomethane sectors in Brazil and, subsequently, to present the challenges and opportunities of these sectors, in order to suggest development paths for them in the country. The study was developed through bibliographic research with collection of direct and indirect data from the researched industries and from official bodies, current legislation, scientific literature and research institutions. The results indicate that Brazil should include biogas and biomethane in the political agenda of the energy sector, grant economic incentives, promote research, improve the dissemination of technological routes, and use biogas and biomethane as a decarbonization strategy for energy transition, thus becoming a world leader in these sectors. This article aims at serving as reference for researchers and planners in the analyzed area, contributing to enriching the debate.

Author Biographies

Geraldo Lavigne de Lemos, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP

Graduado em Direito (UESC), especialista em Gestão Pública (UESC) e em Direito Notarial e Registral (Anhangeura-Uniderp), mestre em Desenvolvimento Regional e Meio Ambiente (UESC).    

Maxiane Frank Oliveira Cardoso, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP

Graduada em Administração pela Universidade Federal de Viçosa, pós-graduada em Logística Empresarial pela Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora e em Psicologia Organizacional pela Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie.  

Hirdan Katarina de Medeiros Costa, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP

Graduada em Direito pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Especialista em Processo Civil. Mestre e Doutora em Energia pelo Programa de Pós-Gr
Mestre e Doutora em Energia pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Energia da Universidade de São Paulo (PPGE/USP). Estágio de doutoramento na Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Oklahoma (OU), EUA. LLM em Direito de Energia e de Recursos Naturais pela OU. Mestre em Direito (PUC/SP). Pós-doutora em Sustentabilidade pela Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da USP (EACH/USP). Pós-doutora em Energia no Instituto de Energia e Ambiente da USP. Atualmente, Pesquisadora Visitante do PRH33.1 ANP/FINEP/IEE e Professora no PPGE/USP.

   

Downloads

Published

2024-06-28

How to Cite

Lavigne de Lemos, G., Frank Oliveira Cardoso, M., & de Medeiros Costa, H. K. (2024). Biogas and biomethane in Brazil: overview and perspectives. Desenvolvimento E Meio Ambiente, 63. https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v63i0.88929

Issue

Vol. 63 (2024)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright on works published in this journal rests with the author, with first publication rights for the journal. The content of published works is the sole responsibility of the authors. DMA is an open access journal and has adopted the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Not Adapted (CC-BY) license since January 2023. Therefore, when published by this journal, articles are free to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercial) and adapt (remix, transform, and create from the material for any purpose, even commercial). You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license and indicate if changes have been made.

The contents published by DMA from v. 53, 2020 to v. 60, 2022 are protected by the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.

DMA has been an open access journal since its creation, however, from v.1 of 2000 to v. 52 of 2019, the journal did not adopt a Creative Commons license and therefore the type of license is not indicated on the first page of the articles.