State and Perspectives of Biomethane Production and Use—A Systematic Review

Abstract

In the face of increasingly frequent natural disasters resulting from climate change and disruptions in the supply chains of energy resources, the demand for energy carriers based on locally sourced renewable resources is growing. Biomethane, derived from biomass and having multiple uses in the energy sector, fully meets these conditions. Analyses of the development and spatial distribution of biomethane production plants, the prevalence of methods of its production, and directions of applications, made on the basis of the data gained from official databases and research papers, are the main subjects of the paper. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of biomethane production, taking into account the results of the life cycle assessments, and the prospects for development of the biomethane market, facing regulatory and policy challenges, are considered. The results of the review indicate that biomethane production is currently concentrated in Europe and North America, which together generate over 80% of the globally produced biomethane. An exponential growth of the number of biomethane plants and their production capacities has been observed over the last decade. Assuming that the global strategies currently adopted and the resulting regional and national regulations on environmental and socio-economic policies are maintained, the further intensive development of the biomethane market will be expected in the near future.