Enagás Renovable, Genia Bioenergy and Agroamb promote a biomethane generation plant in Castro de Rei, Lugo

The president of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, oversaw the presentation of the project and visited the land on which the biomethane facilities will be built 

• The biomethane generation plant will enable the conversion of 155,000 tonnes of organic waste each year into approximately 107 GWh of energy, equivalent to 11% of household consumption in the province of Lugo  
• The new biomethane production plant will prevent the emission into the atmosphere of around 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) per year, contributing to climate neutrality and promoting a change of energy model in Galicia and the development of the circular economy 
• The CEOs of Enagás Renovable (Antón Martínez), Genia Bioenergy (Gabriel Butler), and Agroamb (Severino Ónega), presented this project this morning in Castro de Rei (Lugo) to the President of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda 

Enagás Renovable and Genia Bioenergy, as promoters of renewable gas projects, and the waste recycling company Agroamb Prodalt, presented this morning the project for the construction of a biomethane production plant at an event held in the town of Castro de Rei (Lugo).  

The President of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, oversaw the presentation and visited the site where the facilities will be deployed. He was accompanied by the Vice-President of the Xunta and Regional Minister of Economy, Industry and Innovation, Francisco Conde, and the CEOs of Enagás Renovable (Antón Martínez), Genia Bioenergy (Gabriel Butler) and Agroamb (Severino Ónega).  

The Xunta de Galicia hails this project as an important business initiative due to its potential contribution to the circular economy and decarbonisation, as well as to greater national and European energy independence. 

It will supply 11% of residential gas consumption in the province of Lugo 

The facility will be able to process around 155,000 tonnes of organic waste each year, mainly from the agri-food industry and sludge from urban and industrial sewage treatment plants. This waste will be converted into 107 GWh of energy in the form of biomethane – enough to supply the needs of 11% of the gas consumption of households in the province of Lugo. 

The project will generate an economic ecosystem that will benefit organic waste producers (agri-food industries, municipalities and water treatment plants), hauliers and farmers, mainly in the Terra Chá area. 

In addition to biomethane, the plant’s processes will result in 137,000 tonnes per year of organic soil conditioners and liquid biofertiliser, which can be returned to crops to improve soil fertility and close the production cycle. This natural process – agronomically safe, odourless and without insect nuisance – will contribute to solving problems such as the management of livestock excrement or waste management from the agri-food industry in Galicia. 

To guarantee its success, the project has Enagás Renovable’s experience in promoting renewable gas production projects, Genia Bioenergy’s engineering and know-how in managing biomethane projects and Agroamb Prodalt’s experience in waste recycling and its transformation into organic fertilisers and soil conditioners. 

It will avoid 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions being emitted every year 

This initiative contributes to boosting the reduction of carbon emissions – one of the main measures of the Paris Agreement – and follow a circular economy model as it converts waste into resources.  

The implementation of this initiative, which will result in approximately 200,000 tonnes of CO2-eq emissions savings is in line with Europe’s Circular Economy Plan ─ EU Directive 2018/850 ─ on waste management, treatment and recycling for municipalities, the Spanish Government’s Climate Change and Energy Transition Law, the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2021–2030 and the Galicia Climate Change and Energy Strategy 2050. 

Anaerobic biodigestion process 

Biogas is obtained through a process of biodigestion of organic waste, called anaerobic biodigestion, a natural process that speeds up the production of this renewable gas that has a high concentration of methane, thanks to the action of bacteria that live in an oxygen-free environment.  

Through an upgrading process, the resulting biogas is purified into biomethane, with similar characteristics to natural gas, so that it can be injected into the gas grid for distribution, allowing homes, industries and vehicles to consume energy from renewable sources.  

In Europe there are about 800 plants that inject biomethane into the distribution network and more than 19,000 that produce biogas for own consumption or cogeneration.