Navarra Parliament adopts new biogas regulatory framework

The Rural Development Commission of the Parliament of Navarra approved a resolution urging the regional government to draft a comprehensive territorial, environmental and agronomic plan for biogas and biometane installations. The plan would set clear capacity limits per zone, outline digestate management, and require an exhaustive report on projects launched since the 2023 moratorium, identifying which remain active or have been cancelled.

The resolution criticises previous approvals that proceeded without a detailed map of nitrogen‑capacity, placing pressure on small municipalities to evaluate large‑scale plant proposals without clear legal tools. It calls for a binding inter‑sectoral table involving agrarian organisations, cooperatives and technical experts to ensure transparent, socially balanced development, and proposes extending the current moratorium on new licences until robust regulations are in place.

The move reflects a broader Spanish debate on the rapid growth of biometane projects, which require an Integrated Environmental Authorization (AAI) to guarantee strict emissions and waste‑management standards. Similar moratoria have been discussed in other autonomous communities, such as Castilla‑La Mancha, while local opposition cites concerns over odours, traffic safety and impacts on rural landscapes.