Spain accelerates biometanisation to cut emissions and boost rural development

Spain is strengthening its regulatory framework for biometanisation, positioning renewable gases as a strategic pillar for energy security and decarbonisation. The government’s new decree (Real Decreto‑ley 7/2026) sets a target of at least 10.41 TWh of biogas/biomethane production by 2030, up from roughly 4.1 TWh at the end of 2024, and proposes mandatory consumption quotas to create stable demand for the fuel.

Industry groups welcome the quotas but argue that further regulatory ambition, reliable financing and faster permitting are needed to attract private investment and build new plants. They emphasise that biometane, produced from agricultural, livestock, municipal and industrial waste, can reduce methane emissions, support a circular economy and generate jobs in depopulated rural areas, thereby reinforcing Spain’s goal of reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.