The launch of Six new biogas and biomethane plants in Aragon This has placed the community at the heart of the renewable gas map in Spain. It represents a significant economic and energy commitment, with a total investment exceeding €130 million and a notable impact on employment, waste management, and emissions reduction.
These facilities are considered by the regional government strategic projects for the circular economy and the energy transitionThe complexes will be distributed among the three Aragonese provinces and are geared towards both the generation of biogas and the production of biomethane ready for injection into the gas network, taking advantage of organic agricultural, livestock and agri-food waste.
Six projects declared to be of regional interest
The Governing Council has granted the classification of investments of regional interest These six projects are linked to organic waste management and renewable gas production. This administrative structure allows for streamlined processing, given their economic, social, and environmental importance to the region.
In total, the announced investment slightly exceeds 130 millones de euros —in some sources it rises to 132 million— and the creation of approximately 600 jobs across the construction, operation, and logistics phasesMost of this activity will be concentrated in rural areas where the plants are located, generating economic opportunities in regions that often suffer from depopulation.
The projects are divided into two main blocks: three biogas valorization and production plants promoted by Biogas Power and other three biomethane plants powered by Ric EnergyIn all cases, the starting point is the same idea: to transform non-hazardous organic waste into renewable energy and usable by-products for the agricultural sector.
From an institutional point of view, the Government of Aragon has highlighted the importance of the municipalities involved have issued favorable reports, local support that is considered key to the social acceptance of this type of infrastructure.
Location of the plants: biogas and biomethane distributed throughout Aragon
The three biogas plants They will be located in Lupiñén (Hoya de Huesca), Agon (Campo de Borja) and bujaraloz (Monegros). These facilities will be primarily focused on the valorization of organic by-products and the generation of biogas which, after purification, can also be converted into biomethane.
Meanwhile, the three plants focused on biomethane production They will be located in Saint Stephen of Litera (The Liter), calanda (Lower Aragon) and Caspe (Lower Aragon-Caspe/Baix-Aragó Casp). These facilities will be specifically designed for the management of non-hazardous waste and the production of renewable gas suitable for injection into the general natural gas supply network.
With this territorial distribution, the Aragonese Executive aims decentralize energy generation and strengthen the role of rural areas in the energy transition. Furthermore, the proximity of the plants to areas with strong agricultural and livestock activity facilitates the supply of raw materials and reduces waste transport costs.
Taken together, the six projects are part of the push that Aragon has been making in the field of renewables, expanding an energy map where wind and solar power already stand out, and where now the Biogas and biomethane are gaining ground as new protagonists.
Investment and employment: a remarkable economic impact
Projects Biogas PowerThose responsible for the three biogas plants are considering an investment of 70,4 millones de eurosIn terms of employment, the company estimates the creation of 210 direct and 60 indirect jobs during the construction phase, plus 45 direct and 60 indirect jobs in the operational phase of the facilities.
The planned execution period for these plants is around 24 months from obtaining licenses and authorizationsThis represents a relatively tight schedule considering the technical complexity of this type of industrial infrastructure.
In parallel, the three biomethane plants promoted by Ric Energy They represent a combined investment of 61,6 millones de eurosIn this case, the employment forecast is between 95 and 125 construction jobs, to which are added 47 jobs in the operational phase and between 47 and 60 positions linked to logistics, with an estimated total of up to 232 jobs.
According to the company, the development and construction period from these plants it could last until 44 monthsIn the long term, the continued operation of these facilities is expected to contribute to consolidating a business network linked to waste, transport and auxiliary services in the regions involved.
How they work: from organic waste to renewable gas
The technological core of these plants is based on the anaerobic digestionDecomposition is a biological process in which microorganisms decompose organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Starting from agricultural, livestock and biodegradable organic waste a is generated methane-rich gas —biogas— which can later be purified to obtain biomethane with a quality similar to that of fossil natural gas.
The facilities promoted by Biogas Power will treat organic by-products from livestock farms, agricultural crops and agri-food industriesThe biogas produced will undergo a purification process, with the aim of increasing its methane content and eliminating impurities, resulting in biomethane suitable for various energy uses.
Ric Energy's plants follow a similar logic, but are directly oriented towards biomethane production as a renewable gasThis biomethane will be primarily used for its injection into the general gas networkso that it can be used for heating, industrial processes or as a vehicle fuel, partially or totally replacing fossil gas.
In addition to renewable gas, these facilities obtain other valuable products. In the case of biogas plants, the process generates digestate, an organic amendment rich in nutrients that can be used as agricultural fertilizerIn biomethane plants, the main byproduct is... digested liquidwhich can also have applications in the agricultural sector, thus closing the circle of the circular economy.
Plant infrastructure and design
Each industrial complex is conceived as a set of differentiated functional areasFirst, a organic waste reception and preparation facilitywhere the raw material is controlled, homogenized and conditioned before entering the digesters.
Below are the anaerobic digestion and biogas production unitsThese facilities consist of closed reactors where organic matter is transformed into renewable gas and digestate. They incorporate specific technical equipment to control temperature, agitation, and other key process parameters.
Subsequently, the biogas passes into the systems of purification and upgradingwhere undesirable compounds are removed and the proportion of methane is increased until it reaches the quality necessary to be considered biomethane. In parallel, equipment is available for the separation of the solid and liquid fractions of the digestate, in order to facilitate its management and marketing as a fertilizer or organic amendment.
All this is complemented by auxiliary infrastructures: access roads to the plant, power lines for energy supply and branch lines connecting to existing gas pipelineswhich allow biomethane to be injected into the gas network. This last element is key to integrating renewable gas into the energy system without the need to create large new transport infrastructure.
Reduction of emissions and contribution to the circular economy
One of the most repeated arguments by the regional government and the promoters is the contribution of these plants to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissionsRic Energy's facilities alone are projected to have a combined production equivalent to 153.000 MWh of biomethane per yearwhich will prevent the emission of more than 90.000 tons of CO₂ per year.
Added to this is the advantage of valorizing waste that might otherwise generate diffuse methane emissions or environmental problems if not managed properly. By channeling livestock, agricultural, and agri-food waste to these plants, the impact of spills is reduced and progress is made towards sustainable models. more sustainable management.
The use of digestate and digested liquid as organic soil amendments It further reinforces the logic of the circular economy: energy is obtained from waste, and by-products return to the field as fertilizers, partially or totally replacing inputs of mineral origin.
In the context of the European Union's climate objectives and the national decarbonization strategy, these types of projects position Aragon as pioneering territory in the deployment of renewable gasescomplementing the weight already given to other clean technologies such as solar and wind power.
Institutional support, social debate, and environmental guarantees
During the presentation of the projects, the Vice President and spokesperson for the Government of Aragon, Mar Vaquero, emphasized that Biogas and biomethane plants belong to a booming sector and closely linked to the circular economy and sustainability. He also emphasized that all projects have the support from the local councils involved, something that the Executive values in a special way.
In San Esteban de Litera, for example, the municipal council unanimously approved a favorable report to the project, while in Calanda and Caspe the Urban Planning departments and their respective governing boards also came out in favor. For the regional government, this local support is an indicator that residents perceive these investments as an opportunity to generate employment and economic activity in your enviroment.
However, the implementation of this type of facility is not without its challenges. social debate, especially with regard to possible discomfort from odors or environmental impactsWhen questioned about these issues, Vaquero stressed that the Executive «It will not paralyze» projects provided they comply with the regulations and requirements demanded to obtain the declaration of regional interest.
The assessment of the conditions corresponds to the Aragonese Institute of Environmental Management (Inaga)which establishes specific measures and minimum distances from sensitive infrastructure or nearby facilities. According to the spokesperson, these projects They will not be promoted if a clearly negative impact is detected. on the environment, beyond the acceptable impact that any industrial facility entails.
For the Government, balance involves reconciling the renewable energy generation, job creation and environmental protection, while simultaneously strengthening the administrative processing teams due to the growing number of biogas and biomethane projects in the pipeline.
Aragon, an emerging hub for biogas and biomethane in Spain
With the approval of these six plants, the Government of Aragon has noted that there are already others. more than 70 projects of this type in different stages of processing in the community. This reflects the speed with which the sector has been gaining presence and the interest of investors and specialized companies in the region.
The combination of a strong agricultural and livestock base, available land, an industrial fabric linked to renewables, and political impetus for the energy transition make Aragon one of the most dynamic territories in renewable gases within the state panorama.
In addition to generating clean energy, the deployment of these plants contributes to to add value to by-products from the countryside and the agri-food industryThese sectors carry significant weight in the Aragonese economy. The possibility of generating additional income through waste management or the sale of digestate and organic fertilizers provides an extra incentive for farms and cooperatives.
All of this, combined with the capacity to reduce emissions and the injection of biomethane into the gas network, reinforces Aragon's position as a benchmark in the transition towards a more decentralized, low-carbon energy model supported by local resourcesThese six plants thus become a significant step within a broader strategy that focuses on renewables, rural areas and the circular economy.
