It’s a hidden treasure that often ends up as sheer waste. Tons of organic residues generated by agricultural and livestock operations—or by sectors like hospitality, restaurants, or cruise lines—typically become a costly burden. Treating these materials often means added expenses and logistical headaches for many companies. Transporting thousands of cubic meters to large processing plants is neither easy nor cheap. But in Badajoz, an innovative project is underway to simplify and streamline the process: the installation of mini biogas plants directly on-site.
This approach not only cuts down on time and costs but also boosts efficiency by transforming waste into a usable energy source—biogas, biomethane, electricity, or hot water for self-consumption.
The key lies in the technology applied to these compact waste-treatment units. These “mini” plants consist of just two or three 12-meter containers (depending on the case) and are designed to close the loop of the circular economy by reusing organic waste. This groundbreaking project is being carried out by Grupo Bolschare, the largest agricultural operator in Southern Europe, and AGF, an engineering company specialized in biogas production and organic waste treatment for renewable gas generation.
Every day, businesses that handle organic materials generate thousands of tons of waste. If not managed properly, this waste can lead to environmental, health, and social issues—not to mention a missed opportunity to recover energy. One of the main challenges is the high logistics cost of collecting and transporting these residues to landfills. But with the mini plants now being tested by Bolschare and AGF in Benavides, companies can process up to 3,000 kilograms of waste per day directly at the source. The biogas generated during the process can also be upgraded to biomethane.
These on-site decomposition systems not only eliminate waste but also produce renewable gas that can be used by the company itself. The project also includes an innovative system for recovering the gas and nutrients from the processed materials. This effectively closes the circular economy loop and helps make waste treatment profitable. Essentially, these mini plants replicate on a smaller scale the processes typically carried out in large industrial waste-treatment facilities.
Compact and Efficient Plants
For now, the system is being tested in a pilot program at a nut-producing agricultural estate in Benavides. The plan is to expand to three more farms in Portugal and two in Spain. The MPB (Mini Plant Biogas) system works by mixing organic waste with water, initiating a decomposition process that produces renewable gas.
These plants have been designed with compactness in mind, making waste treatment efficient and affordable on-site. This helps minimize or even eliminate transportation costs and prevents the release of greenhouse gases in landfills. The energy recovered can be used locally.
The project offers two plant models, depending on the type of waste input and the required energy output. The M1 model consists of two 12-meter containers and can process up to one ton of waste per day, generating up to 4 Nm³/h of methane. The larger M3 model can handle three tons per day, producing up to 9 Nm³/h. The treatment process includes shredding of waste and sludge processing. The energy obtained can be used in various ways: direct use of biogas or biomethane, or combustion to produce hot water, electricity, or other forms of energy.
A High-Potential Market
Antonio Álvarez, head of Bolschare Energy, describes this type of installation as a “disruptive innovation”, aiming not only to improve efficiency and sustainability in agriculture but also to revolutionize the concept of the circular economy through biogas. Francisco Guzmán Guzmán, CEO and co-founder of AGF Procesos Biogás, emphasizes the great potential of the mini plant market: “We’re especially excited to conduct a real-scale trial of the prototype soon in Badajoz.”
Bolschare is a multidisciplinary family-owned business group managing agricultural, energy, and medical assets. Headquartered in the Eurocity Badajoz-Elvas-Campo Maior, its Energy division focuses on self-consumption systems, photovoltaic projects, and biomethane plants. Bolschare promotes solar and renewable energy solutions to reduce CO₂ emissions and boost the circular economy.
AGF Procesos Biogás, a Spanish engineering company based in Badajoz, has over 10 years of experience in the biogas and biomethane sector and develops its own proprietary technology. It operates a technical office, an applied R&D center, a plant operations center, and an industrial workshop from its headquarters.
News source:
https://www.elindependiente.com/espana/2025/04/07/mini-plantas-de-biogas-la-conversion-de-desechos-en-gas-sin-salir-de-la-finca/ | 07/04/25
