Energy from biogas jumps a fifth in Europe

The amount of electricity and heat produced from biogas jumped by nearly a fifth in the European Union last year. The figures from new energy “barometers” created by EurObserv’ER show […]

The amount of electricity and heat produced from biogas jumped by nearly a fifth in the European Union last year.

The figures from new energy “barometers” created by EurObserv’ER show a growth in electricity production from biogas in 2011 of 18.2% to 35.9 TWh, while over the same period biogas heat sales to factories or heating networks increased by 16%.

Most of the heat produced was used directly on site for drying sludge, heating buildings and maintaining the digester at optimum temperature, according to the research group which is supported by the European Commission.

In total, 10.1 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) worth of primary biogas energy was produced in 2011 in the European Union, showed the Biogas Barometer.

At the same time, renewable energy made from burning household waste in the EU rose by 2.6% last year, found the Renewable Municipal Waste Barometer, creating more than 8.2 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2011.

Solid biomass saw a 2.9% rise in primary energy production in the EU, showed the research.

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