Biogas and biomethane: Resources and labour

Why a steady supply of waste matters more than kit

What this tab covers The natural resources (land, water, materials, fuel or feedstock) and the labour needed to capture this energy, per unit, with the reason each is needed.

Anaerobic digestion needs a steady supply of wet organic waste, warm sealed tanks and gas-handling equipment; its key resource is feedstock rather than special materials.

Natural resources

Resource	How much	Why it is needed
Feedstock: manure, food and industrial waste, sewage sludge, crop residues	Industrial waste about 0.40 toe per tonne; a household digester fed 20-30 kg of manure gives about 1 m3 of gas a day, enough for 2-3 hours of cooking⁶	Microbes can only release the energy that is in the organic matter they are fed; fats and sugars yield more than fibrous manure that animals have already digested.
Sustainable feedstock potential	Nearly 1,000 bcm a year of natural gas equivalent, about a quarter of world gas demand; about 5% is used today; manure alone about 280 bcm²	Waste-based potential is limited by how much waste is generated and can be collected economically.
Heat and electricity for the process	Fixed operating costs 2.1-7% of investment a year plus about USD 4.2/MWh variable (2015); energy quantities not given³	Digesters must be kept warm for the microbes, and pumps, mixers and compressors need power.
Capital equipment (tanks, gas holders, engines, upgrading units)	USD 2,574-6,104 per kW (2015); household units USD 500-800; material quantities per MW not found³⁶	The tank must be gas-tight to keep oxygen out and methane in.

Labour

Phase	How much	Skills	Why it is needed
All phases (global)	About 332,000 jobs in biogas in 2024, about 187,000 of them in China⁹	Plant operation, biology of the digestion process, gas safety, agricultural logistics	Feedstock must be collected and fed daily, and the biology must be monitored to avoid souring.
Construction and operation (EU outlook)	About 200,000 jobs from biomethane development in the EU between 2024 and 2035, many rural²	Civil works, pipework, electrical, process operation	Plants are built close to farms and waste sources because wet feedstock is costly to transport.

Sources

Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane: A global geospatial assessment (World Energy Outlook special report) International Energy Agency, 2025
Biomass for Heat and Power, Technology Brief E05 IEA-ETSAP and IRENA, 2015
Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane: Prospects for organic growth International Energy Agency, 2020
Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2025 (Table 1, 2024 employment) IRENA and International Labour Organization, 2025