Sustainable Biogas

The EIP “Sustainable Biogas” project focuses on developing a practical tool to assess environmental sustainability and operational efficiency in agricultural biogas plants. The tool aligns with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/III), including the collection of currently missing NUTS-2 values for specific biogas substrates, to help farmers meet regulatory requirements more easily. Farmers actively contribute by providing real-world field data (including AI- and satellite-supported data collection), testing the prototype with their datasets, and offering feedback to improve usability and functionality. To ensure broad, low-cost access, the tool is being built as an Excel application that delivers the specialized methodology and extensive data in a flexible, public format. Training materials and regional workshops will support adoption. A second core component is a voluntary system to monitor and reduce methane emissions. Through a leak detection and repair (LDAR) program, the project will not only identify and minimize operational emissions, but also generate more accurate data for sustainability assessments. In addition, a benchmarking system will enable peer comparisons to identify improvement potential. A specification document will ensure integration with an existing biogas benchmarking platform. A practical guide will also outline site-specific optimization measures and emission-reduction actions within the LDAR framework. Overall, the project strengthens the sustainability and competitiveness of Austrian biogas production, supports certification, and sets new standards for transparency and emissions reduction.