Category: Articles

Madrid. 06.08.2026. The development of biomethane represents an opportunity to advance decarbonisation, improve the use of organic waste and generate economic activity in rural areas.

However, a biomethane plant is not developed in isolation. It becomes part of a municipality with its own history, economic dynamics, natural environment and people who understand the local reality better than anyone else.

That is why, at Biorig, we work to ensure that our relationship with local communities begins in the earliest stages of each project and continues throughout the entire lifetime of our facilities. Listening, explaining and understanding the local environment enables us to make better decisions and develop projects that are genuinely connected to the places where they are located.

How we work with local communities

Information and active listening are part of the same process. It is not simply about presenting a project, but about maintaining an ongoing conversation throughout its construction and operation.

Territorial integration is an integral part of the way Biorig works. Each project is developed taking into account the characteristics of the municipality, maintaining continuous dialogue with its residents and adapting operational decisions to the local context.

The Green Dialogue Roundtable

In San Millán de los Caballeros, in León, where Biorig is developing a plant for the production of biomethane, biogenic CO₂ and organic fertiliser, the company’s first Green Dialogue Roundtable has been established.

It is a permanent forum for engagement between Biorig, the local council and the municipality’s social fabric.

This initiative will be implemented across all our projects and will provide a forum for sharing information on their progress, gathering concerns and suggestions, monitoring commitments and bringing knowledge about biomethane closer to local communities.

The Roundtable includes representatives from the local council, Biorig professionals, associations and residents. This composition makes it possible to incorporate different perspectives and maintain a dialogue that reflects the local reality.

In addition, the Green Dialogue Roundtable participates in the assessment of initiatives submitted under the Community Reinvestment Programme.

Its creation represents a shift from one-off information activities towards an ongoing engagement model, providing the municipality with a stable channel through which to submit proposals and follow the progress of the project.

Community Reinvestment Programme

Biorig’s presence in a municipality is intended to create opportunities that go beyond the activity of the plant itself.

Through the Community Reinvestment Programme, part of the resources generated by each facility is allocated to the development of social and environmental projects that can improve the local area and respond to the needs of its residents.

Local organisations can submit initiatives related to education, children, social inclusion, employment, the environment, quality of life in rural areas, culture or heritage.

The Green Dialogue Roundtable participates in the assessment of these initiatives, incorporating the knowledge of local associations and municipal representatives. In this way, the programme supports proposals that originate within the community itself and helps ensure that the value generated by the plant is also translated into useful projects for the local area.

In San Millán de los Caballeros, this initiative will receive a total allocation of €250,000 over the lifetime of the facility.

Sharing knowledge with new generations

Our relationship with local communities is also built through education, community engagement and environmental awareness.

Through volunteering activities, Biorig professionals share their knowledge with children in local municipalities, introducing them to concepts related to science, sustainability and renewable energy in a practical and engaging way.

Biorig has carried out these volunteering activities in San Millán de los Caballeros and Cubo del Vino.

Through experiments, games and interactive challenges, participants were able to learn about concepts such as renewable energy, recycling, soil care, biomethane and biogenic CO₂.

The sessions featured Brian Vásquez de la Quintana and his Ciencia Attack project, an initiative that brings science and sustainability closer to participants in an accessible, practical and interactive way.

Biorig’s volunteer professionals accompanied the children throughout the activities, answered their questions and shared some of the solutions that are already being implemented to address environmental challenges.

Soil: a living and strategic resource

Madrid. 07.07.2026. Every 7 July, International Soil Conservation Day is celebrated – a day that serves as a reminder of something essential: soil is not just the surface on which we grow food, but a living, finite and strategic resource. Agricultural productivity, biodiversity, water quality and the resilience of rural areas to climate change all depend on its condition.

The FAO points out that healthy soils are the foundation of agricultural development, food production and numerous ecosystem services. It also warns that soil degradation takes many forms: loss of organic matter, erosion, salinisation, compaction, loss of fertility and deterioration of soil structure.

In Spain, this debate has a particularly significant dimension for the agricultural and livestock sector. Agriculture and livestock farming generate organic materials with agronomic value — such as slurry, manure, plant residues and straw — but their management must be carried out with proper planning, traceability and technical criteria. When these material flows are not managed properly, they can lead to environmental externalities, including emissions, local nuisances and diffuse nitrate pollution. In this article, we will explain best practices for ensuring that soils remain healthy, primarily through the recovery of organic matter for use as energy and organic fertilisers.

From waste to resource: an opportunity for the region

Agriculture and livestock farming produce organic materials of agronomic value, such as slurry, manure, plant residues and straw. If managed correctly, these materials can become a source of nutrients and organic matter for the soil.

The right approach is not to single out the livestock sector, but to provide it with technical, traceable and viable solutions. Farmers and livestock farmers play a vital role in soil conservation, as they work directly on the land and need tools that enable them to meet increasing environmental requirements without losing competitiveness.

From digestate to an organic soil improver

One of the key distinguishing features of the Biorig model is the recovery of digestate as CFP 3 organic fertiliser, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. This means that digestate is not treated as a waste product with no intended use, but rather as a recoverable material that must meet quality, stability and safety requirements for its use in agriculture.

The CFP 3 organic fertiliser adds organic matter and nutrients to the soil, helping to improve its fertility and reduce dependence on mineral fertilisers. Furthermore, as it is subject to a regulatory framework, it facilitates more traceable, planned application that is tailored to the actual needs of the crops.

More organised management to protect soil and water

Nitrate pollution is one of the major challenges associated with nutrient management in agricultural and livestock farming areas. The use of digestate as a regulated organic fertiliser can contribute to more orderly management, as it provides a better understanding of the origin, composition and fate of the nutrients applied to the soil.

The aim is not to replace agronomic judgement, but to reinforce it. Organic fertilisers must be applied as part of fertilisation plans that take into account the crop’s needs, soil characteristics, appropriate application periods and the limits set by the regulations.

Soil conservation is, ultimately, about protecting the productive and environmental foundation of our regions. The recovery of agricultural, livestock and agro-industrial waste through anaerobic digestion enables us to move towards a more circular model, in which nutrients are recovered, managed with traceability and returned to the fields in the form of organic fertiliser. At Biorig, we are working to ensure that this process contributes to more efficient waste management, the production of renewable energy and more sustainable fertilisation, thereby reinforcing the role of the primary sector as an essential ally in soil conservation and the ecological transition.

Madrid. 19.05.26. Green energy is the cornerstone of the energy transition and one of the main ways to reduce emissions, improve energy independence and move towards a more sustainable model.

Against a backdrop characterised by the need to decarbonise the economy and reduce dependence on external sources, green energy is emerging as a strategic solution for ensuring a more secure and competitive energy supply that is aligned with European climate targets. Its development makes it possible not only to replace fossil fuels, but also to transform the way in which energy resources are produced, managed and consumed.

An energy model in transition

Green energy is energy generated from natural and renewable sources, that is, resources that are continuously replenished and are not depleted through use.

This type of energy significantly reduces environmental impact, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, and is emerging as a genuine alternative to the traditional energy system.

This concept encompasses technologies such as solar, wind and hydro power, as well as solutions based on waste recovery, such as biogas and biomethane.

Why is it becoming increasingly important?

The push for green energy is a response to a number of challenges affecting both the global and local levels. On the one hand, there is the need to reduce emissions and make progress towards decarbonisation targets. On the other, there is the importance of reducing dependence on foreign energy sources and making use of resources available within the country itself.

Added to this is the need to build a more stable energy system, capable of responding to market fluctuations and ensuring long-term supply.

The shift towards a new energy model

In this context, the development of sustainable energy solutions is key to moving towards a more efficient and resilient model.

At Biorig, we are working to drive this transformation by developing renewable gas projects that enable green energy to be integrated into the existing system, thereby reducing emissions and making the most of the resources available in the region. In this way, we are helping to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and efficient energy system.

Madrid. 06.04.26. Biomethane is a renewable energy source produced from organic waste. This technology, which has been in development for over 40 years in other European countries, will have only about 15 operational facilities by early 2025, according to the latest data collected by the European Biogas Association (EBA). Given this reality, information and outreach regarding the technology are vital to unlocking biomethane’s full potential—both from an energy perspective and in terms of waste management and the social and economic development of rural areas.

To this end, Biorig organized a trip to Friedland (Germany) with residents of Castellanos de Villiquera (Salamanca) to demonstrate how an operational biomethane plant works and how it integrates into the surrounding environment. The plant, owned by EnviTec Biogás, processes approximately 145,000 tons of exclusively agricultural and livestock waste (slurry, manure, chicken manure, and crop residues). Friedland has been in operation since 2007 and is located just 100 meters from residential areas, coexisting normally with a population of nearly 7,000 residents.

The model is similar to that of Biorig, which recycles raw materials from the primary sector: specifically, slurry, manure, and straw. In this way, the plants operated by the company provide a solution for improving the management of these local waste streams at existing farms; combined with the use of the latest technologies and best available techniques, this ensures that the operation of these facilities does not cause any inconvenience to the nearby population.

Know to Decide

The visit to Germany with residents of Castellanos de Villiquera (Salamanca) is part of Biorig’s strategy to promote understanding and transparency among its various stakeholders. Showcasing real, established, and fully operational examples helps put the company’s projects in Spain into context and explains, using data and proven experience, how these facilities work.

Biorig promotes a circular economy model based on the recovery of agricultural and livestock waste, the production of renewable gas, and the development of the regions where it operates. In regions such as Castile and León, where Biorig is implementing a development plan for ten biomethane plants, these types of outreach initiatives are key to explaining the role of such infrastructure in decarbonization, the efficient management of agricultural and livestock waste, and the strengthening of the primary sector.

It will have €250,000 to reinvest in environmental and sociocultural projects in the municipality.

Madrid. 11.03.26. San Millán de los Caballeros (León) has celebrated the establishment of the first Green Dialogue Table promoted by Biorig, coinciding with the start of construction work on the biomethane plant in the municipality. This new participatory body is set up as a permanent forum for meeting and monitoring between the company, the City Council, and the local social fabric, with the aim of ensuring transparency, channeling proposals, and strengthening the project’s social license. In addition to its role in dialogue and oversight, the Roundtable will manage a budget of €250,000 contributed by Biorig to finance environmental and sociocultural initiatives that will be defined and voted on in the municipality itself.

Fourteen representatives participated in the session, held at the end of February. Among the members of the Green Dialogue Committee were representatives from the City Council, the Villanoble Association of San Millán de los Caballeros, independent residents of the municipality, and professionals from Biorig’s EPC, Development, Logistics, and ESG departments. With this first meeting, a stable participatory body has been formally established that will accompany the project throughout its operational life.

A permanent space for informing, listening, and agreeing

The Green Dialogue Table is an instrument included in Biorig’s internal social management procedure. It is configured as a consultative, participatory, and monitoring body that has three main functions: to ensure transparency regarding the plant’s operations, to channel questions or proposals from neighbors, and to evaluate community reinvestment projects.

Helena Amigo, Project Manager at Biorig and member of the Committee, explained that the Committee will allow residents to convey any questions or ideas they may have about social projects, as well as any issues relating to the operation of the plant. “We believe that this Dialogue Committee is very important, and above all, we believe that being able to deal directly with residents on a regular basis sets us apart,” she said.

The Green Dialogue Table will be a group that meets at least twice a year and will keep minutes, follow up on agreements, and evaluate social, environmental, and economic impacts.

Representation and decision-making

One of the distinguishing features of this committee is its diverse composition. In addition to the City Council and the company, local associations and individual residents are also represented, ensuring diversity and balance.

The mayor of San Millán de los Caballeros, Alberto García, particularly appreciated this approach. The initiative, he said, “not only has the support of the City Council, but also of the cultural association and independent residents, who will have a say in the matter.” In his opinion, this formula broadens participation beyond traditional institutional channels and allows the entire municipality to be involved in decisions related to the project.

The previous experience of dialogue was also highlighted by representatives of the associative network. Luis Artero, member of the Villanoble Association and participant in the Round Table, emphasized the willingness shown by the company since the beginning of the project, stressing that technical explanations have been repeated as many times as necessary to resolve doubts.

This educational and outreach component is key to Biorig’s new industrial projects in rural areas, where accurate and accessible information is essential for the proper development of all phases of the biomethane plant life cycle.

250,000 euros for projects decided upon in the municipality

The Green Dialogue Committee will also be responsible for evaluating and selecting community reinvestment projects financed by Biorig. The Green Dialogue Committee of San Millán de los Caballeros will have a budget of €250,000 allocated by the company for disbursement throughout the plant’s useful life.

The initiatives funded allow funds to reach each resident directly through programs and proposals defined by the municipality itself.

Initiatives may be linked to sociocultural, educational, or environmental areas and must meet objective criteria for social impact, technical feasibility, and implementation capacity. Evaluation will be carried out using a transparent scoring system agreed upon by the members of the Committee.

The mayor emphasized that this model represents a different approach to the traditional one-off financial contribution, as it allows for the financing of activities that “directly reach each resident” through specific programs and proposals defined by the municipality itself.

Energy transition with territorial roots

The establishment of the Committee in San Millán marks the beginning of a model that Biorig will gradually roll out across all its projects. A model that combines technical rigor, citizen participation, and a commitment to local economic development.

At a time when Solarig—Biorig’s parent company—is moving towards becoming a more industrial, competitive, and global energy company, instruments such as the Green Dialogue Table reinforce its commitment to an ecological transition that generates quality employment and economic revitalization in the region.

San Millán de los Caballeros thus becomes the first municipality to formally activate this structured dialogue space, integrating a permanent mechanism for information, monitoring, and shared decision-making from the outset of the project.

Methane is responsible for one-third of current global warmin

Madrid, 28-01-26. Every 28 January, International CO₂ Emissions Reduction Day is celebrated. However, there is still one major omission from the climate debate: methane. This gas has a global warming potential more than 80 times greater than CO₂ in the short term and, according to the United Nations, is responsible for around a third of current global warming. Taking action on methane is not only necessary: it is the fastest and most effective way to slow global warming in this critical decade.

The latest report, An Eye on Methane 2025, published by the United Nations Environment Programme, clearly defines it: reducing methane emissions is the climate’s ‘emergency brake’. Unlike CO₂, which remains in the atmosphere for centuries, methane has a much shorter atmospheric lifetime. This means that reducing its emissions generates almost immediate climate benefits. The report also highlights that mature, available and low-cost solutions exist to achieve this, especially in sectors where emissions are diffuse and avoidable.

A structural problem affecting the countryside

In this context, the agricultural and livestock sector is currently the main source of methane emissions both globally and in Spain, where there are nearly 270 million head of cattle. According to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), in 2024 the sector was the leading source of methane emissions, with 904,558.7 tonnes of methane released into the atmosphere. A large part of these emissions come from the uncontrolled decomposition of slurry, manure and other organic waste, which constantly release methane without any energy recovery and with a direct impact on the climate.

Direct emissions of methane into the atmosphere are 80 times more harmful than CO2

Farmers and livestock breeders operate under increasingly stringent regulations and with limited resources, making this a structural and systemic challenge for all societies. Every year, millions of tonnes of agricultural and livestock waste are generated, which must be managed in a context of greater environmental, regulatory and social pressure. Addressing this challenge requires collective, technologically mature and environmentally effective solutions.

From diffuse emission to energy resource

From a climate perspective, methane emissions associated with traditional waste management are a cause for alarm. From an energy perspective, they represent a key opportunity. The methane that is currently emitted unchecked is, in fact, renewable energy that is being lost.

This is where anaerobic digestion and biomethane establish themselves as an immediate and proven solution. Anaerobic digestion is a technology that has been developed in Europe for decades, based on a controlled biological process, in the absence of oxygen, which transforms organic waste into biogas — composed mainly of methane — and into a stabilised digested material.

Applied to slurry, manure and agricultural waste, this technology captures methane before it is emitted into the atmosphere, significantly reducing emissions associated with its management, minimising odours and transforming problematic waste into two key resources: renewable energy and organic fertiliser.

The Biorig model: immediate, local and circular management

At Biorig, we tackle this challenge from an integrated, local industrial perspective. We exclusively manage agricultural and livestock waste (slurry, manure and straw), avoiding prolonged storage and diffuse methane emissions. The captured biogas—with an approximate composition of 55% methane—is transformed into biomethane, a locally produced renewable gas that is injected into the network and made available to households and industries.

But the process does not end there. The resulting digestate undergoes additional treatments that allow it to be transformed into certified organic fertilisers in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. These products are returned to the field with traceability, known composition and regulatory compliance, facilitating more orderly nutrient management and contributing to compliance with regulations on sustainable soil nutrition.

This closes the nutrient cycle, improves soil fertility, reduces emissions associated with the manufacture of conventional fertilisers and returns value to the land. It is an approach that is fully aligned with the principles of the circular economy and sustainable intensification.

A strategic part of the energy transition

Beyond waste management, biomethane plays a strategic role in the energy transition. It is a renewable, storable and manageable energy source, compatible with existing gas infrastructure and particularly relevant for decarbonising applications that are difficult to electrify, such as certain industrial processes and heavy transport.

Curbing methane emissions, optimising waste management in the primary sector and generating value in rural areas is not a promise for the future. It is a reality available today.

With mature technology, dialogue with the region and a stable regulatory framework that provides certainty, Spain has the opportunity to turn one of its main environmental challenges into a lever for sustainability, quality employment and rural development. Taking action on methane means taking action on climate change. And doing so now makes all the difference.