Biogas

Biogas has significant potential to contribute to the solution of a wide range of societal challenges. The technology can manage sludge from wastewater treatment, animal manure, and organic waste from households, industry, and agriculture, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the production of renewable energy. The use of livestock manure in biogas production has been identified as one of the most important measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. Biogas also enables the production of electricity, heat, biofuels, biofertiliser, and products for improving soil quality.

Our research contributes to environmentally and resource-efficient solutions. The results provide recommendations for improvements to existing biogas plants and support the establishment of new, more sustainable value chains. The findings are used by stakeholders throughout the value chain and have formed the basis for incentives and policy development at both regional and national levels. The goal is economically sustainable and resource-efficient biogas production with minimal environmental impact.

For more than ten years, NORSUS has led long-term biogas research projects in collaboration with other leading research environments. We develop and apply models to assess environmental impacts and resource efficiency across the entire biogas value chain. In addition, we have developed economic models for various actors in the value chain, which are used to analyse profitability and design incentives.

Our long-term research on biogas includes the development of recognised environmental and economic models for biogas value chains, as well as our contributions to the knowledge base for improving existing biogas plants and establishing new value chains. We have also played a key role in national and regional biogas potential studies, including Mulighetsrommet for biogass. Our research has had a direct impact on policy development at both regional and national levels.