Biogas initiatives expand through agricultural plants and food waste recovery in Italy

Developments in biogas production and waste valorization are being noted in Italy. In San Benedetto Po, the municipality has authorized an agricultural company, Bonfante Vanni e Leonardo, to construct and operate a 90 kW electrical and thermal cogeneration plant fueled by biogas. The project, located in Strada Romana Sud, utilizes anaerobic digestion of agricultural materials to integrate electricity production with heat recovery.

Separately, the company Grande Impero, part of the Glamour Food Holding S.p.A. group, is repurposing unsold bread into biogas. Through a controlled anaerobic digestion process, the company processes approximately 1,539 tons of unsold bread annually. This biomass is converted into methane and carbon dioxide, which can be used to produce electricity and heat or purified into biomethane. The remaining material, known as digestate, is used as an agricultural soil improver.