Last year, the approximately 100 facilities on agricultural farms produced biogas equivalent to 200 GWh, an amount of energy that can supply around 10,000 villas with their normal annual consumption of electricity, according to the Swedish Farmers' Association (LRF).
However, there will not be any new facilities, according to LRF, since the Environmental Protection Agency has applied the brakes. The authority is the one that decides on support according to the national climate leap.
We have reviewed how we calculate the climate benefit from this type of measure and we have received new data that suggest we previously overestimated the climate benefit for this type of measure. According to the regulation, money should go to each project that, at each individual examination occasion, provides the most climate benefit per krona, says Anna Bredberg, unit manager at the Climate Unit for agriculture at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Letter to the government
According to LRF's forecast, around 35 farms are in the starting blocks to apply for support for building a new biogas facility.
"If investment support for manure-based biogas is lacking, the Swedish biogas expansion risks coming to a standstill. This would be a serious step backwards for both environmental policy, energy preparedness and food strategy", writes LRF's chairman Palle Borgström in a letter to the government.
1.1 billion in support
Between 2022 and 2024, SEK 1.1 billion was paid in support for biogas on farms. The support level is up to 60 percent of the construction cost.
We have appealed to the government that we could have another prioritization basis that concerns preparedness, in addition to climate benefit. Then we could prioritize them. But so far, the government has not granted this request, says Anna Bredberg.
