Biomethane is a second-generation (2G) biofuel obtained from biogas, which in turn is produced through a natural decomposition process (anaerobic digestion) of biodegradable organic agricultural, livestock, and industrial waste. Subsequently, this biogas is purified through a technological process called upgrading, and it is converted into biomethane.
Biomethane, during its life cycle, can reduce CO2 emissions by more than 90% compared to natural gas. Thanks to its similarity to natural gas, it can be stored or injected directly into the existing gas transmission network, without developing new infrastructure. Regarding its use, biomethane can be used as a substitute for natural gas for industrial use, in the production of green hydrogen and as an alternative for sustainable mobility.
"Through the production of biomethane, we will be able to replace natural gas in industrial processes and thus advance our goal of reducing emissions from our activity by 55%, as well as contribute to the production of green hydrogen and offer a new sustainable mobility alternative."
Ana Castelblanque - manager of Biomethane at Cepsa
Biomethane plants: 100% sustainable
At Cepsa we are committed to the search and development of new projects with which to produce biomethane from agricultural and livestock waste. A new line of business that will allow us to advance in the decarbonization of our industrial activity.
Goal 2030
Manage project portfolio of
4 TWh
/ year
Residuals revalorization
10 million
tons per year
Avoid the emission of
728,000 t
of CO2 / year
Our goal is to manage a project portfolio of 4 TWh per year of biomethane by 2030, equivalent to the consumption of natural gas for 650,000 homes. The use of this renewable gas, instead of fossil fuels, will result in the reuse of 10 million tons of waste per year and will prevent the emission of 728,000 tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to planting 8.7 million trees.
To advance this objective, we have signed an alliance with Kira Ventures to develop up to 15 biomethane plants in this decade, the first 5 of which will be operational between 2025-2026 in Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León. These plants will use agricultural and livestock waste from the areas where they are installed, such as manure and slurry, among others, and will be 100% sustainable, since they will use renewable electricity and the heat generated by the biogas itself.
In July 2024, we signed an alliance with PreZero España that will allow us to boost the biomethane market in Spain.The agreement contemplates the joint development of biomethane plants generated from organic waste.The first one, with an expected capacity of up to 100 GWh, will be located at Cepsa's facilities in Huelva and will serve to produce renewable energy for the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley and the new second-generation biofuel plant.
Biomethane plants are a sustainable alternative to waste treatment, as they allow waste to be reused to produce renewable energy and produce by-products such as compost or sustainable fertilizers that can be used on local farmland.
Lastly, the production of renewable gases is in line with the REPowerEU initiative to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions, as well as contribute to several of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda: SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production), and SDG 13 (Climate action).