The study compares different landfill operating practices and quantifies their environmental impact. Its findings show that currently achievable best practices, including optimized methane capture, efficient cover systems, bioreactor management and high-quality monitoring, can significantly reduce emissions generated by landfill sites. Compared with average operating conditions, the widespread adoption of these practices could reduce total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 50%.

Beyond reducing methane emissions, improved landfill gas capture can increase the recovery and utilization of renewable energy. The study highlights the environmental benefits of biomethane injection and estimates that the generalization of good practices could increase biomethane production potential in France by around 26%, from 2.1 TWh/year to 2.6 TWh/year. At the European scale, landfill biomethane could represent between 15 and 20 TWh, contributing between 5% and 10% of the REPowerEU 2030 biomethane production target. 

According to the study, the transition towards broader implementation of best practices would require an estimated investment of €3-4 per tonne of waste, corresponding to an abatement cost of around €20 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent avoided. Part of these costs could be offset through additional energy recovery, making improved landfill gas management a cost-effective option for reducing emissions while increasing renewable gas production.

Among the different sources of biogas available in Brazil, municipal solid waste landfills represent one of the country’s most immediate opportunities for biomethane production.

Brazil generated 81.6 million tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2024, nearly 60% of which was sent to approximately 3,850 landfill sites, including some of which are equipped with collection systems for biogas generated naturally by the decomposition of organic matter.

As organic waste decomposes, it naturally generates landfill gas. Rather than being released into the atmosphere or destroyed through flaring, this resource can be recovered and upgraded into biomethane, a renewable fuel with characteristics similar to those of natural gas.

Landfills offer several advantages for biomethane projects. They provide a continuous source of biogas, are often located close to energy consumers and already benefit from existing waste management infrastructure. These characteristics make landfill gas an attractive feedstock for large-scale renewable gas production.

In addition, capturing landfill gas delivers a double benefit: reducing greenhouse gas emissions while producing renewable energy.

By transforming an existing waste stream into a valuable local resource, landfill operators can create new opportunities for both environmental and economic value creation.

Beyond its environmental benefits, biomethane offers attractive economic opportunities across the entire value chain.

For landfill operators, biogas recovery creates new revenue streams from a resource that was long considered a by-product. It also supports local economic activity, from facility operations to the production and distribution of renewable energy.

For industrial energy users, biomethane represents a competitive alternative to fossil natural gas. Produced locally, it provides a reliable source of renewable energy while helping companies reduce their carbon footprint.

More broadly, biomethane contributes to energy security by increasing the share of domestically produced renewable gas. As energy demand continues to grow, it can help diversify supply sources and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

The biomethane sector is experiencing strong growth in Brazil. Used for injection into gas networks and for mobility applications, the market has recorded an average annual growth rate of 21% over the past five years¹. Despite the rapid increase in production capacity, its development potential remains largely untapped.

The Combustível do Futuro Law (“Fuel of the Future”, Law No. 14,993 of October 8, 2024) marked a historic milestone for biomethane. Under the legislation, all natural gas sold, imported or self-produced must contain at least 1% of biomethane, with this requirement potentially increasing to 10%. The law also introduced the Biomethane Guarantee of Origin Certificate (CGOB), enabling the certification and tracking of renewable gas volumes.

By creating a clear and predictable regulatory framework, the legislation provides long-term visibility for project developers, landfill operators and investors, creating favourable conditions for the deployment of new biomethane facilities across the country.

Despite the progress made in recent years, considerable growth potential remains. According to data from ABiogás², the number of biomethane production facilities is expected to reach 200 by 2032, with an installed capacity of 8.0 million cubic metres per day (8Mm³/day), reflecting continued investment in the sector.

Combined with the country’s abundant biogas resources and growing demand for renewable energy, these developments position biomethane as an increasingly strategic component of Brazil’s energy future.

¹Source: https://www.worldbiogasassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/WBA-Market-Report-Brazil-2025.pdf

²Brazilian Biogas and Biomethane Association

To unlock this potential at scale, industrial solutions capable of upgrading biogas into biomethane efficiently and reliably are essential.

After 15 years of research and development, Waga Energy developed an innovative technology called WAGABOX®, which captures landfill gas generated from municipal solid waste and upgrades it into biomethane. This biomethane can either be injected directly into gas grids or transported to more remote locations, further expanding its market potential.

The solution enables:

• Maximum methane recovery
• Gas quality that meets grid specifications
• Continuous and high-performance operation

By combining proven landfill gas upgrading technology with a turnkey project delivery model, Waga Energy supports Brazil in reducing methane emissions and expanding its local production of renewable gas.

Brazil has the opportunity to transform one of its largest waste streams into a source of renewable energy. Converting landfill gas into biomethane is no longer only an environmental opportunity. It is becoming a strategic lever for decarbonization, energy resilience and sustainable economic development.

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is a 100% renewable energy source. It is obtained by purifying the biogas produced through the decomposition of organic matter, which includes plants, agricultural and agro-industrial waste, household waste, sewage plant sludge, and more. RNG shares an identical chemical composition and properties with fossil natural gas, enabling it to be directly injected into the existing natural gas distribution network as a fuel and utilized to power vehicles in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG).

RNG is a neutral gas in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The carbon emitted during its combustion was actually absorbed by living organisms and was already in the atmosphere when they appeared, in what is known as the short-term carbon cycle. In contrast, the use of fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas releases carbon into the atmosphere that has accumulated over millions of years in the Earth’s depths.

RNG contributes to the development of the circular economy. It is produced locally from organic waste and consumed by homes and businesses for heating, hot water, cooking, and transportation. It can be easily stored and transported using the existing gas infrastructure.

As a pillar of the energy transition, RNG contributes to local energy independence and replaces fossil fuels for transportation and heating, which account for the bulk of our energy needs and the largest share of our greenhouse gas emissions.

The production and consumption of renewable natural gas emits just 23.4 g CO₂-eq/kWh NCV¹, 10 times less than fossil natural gas that is extracted from underground and imported.

As a fuel, RNG makes it possible to reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by up to 90%, compared with natural gas, gasoline, or diesel.

¹ The net calorific value (NCV) corresponds to the quantity of heat released during combustion per unit of volume or mass, without considering the energy supplied by the steam produced based on French data.

The facts

The decomposition of organic matter at landfill sites is one of the main causes of methane (CH₄) emissions released into the atmosphere, accounting for 5% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. This powerful greenhouse gas has a global warming potential 86 times greater than that of CO₂ over 20 years. According to the IMF, methane responsible for about 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the beginning of the industrial era (1850-1900).

According to the World Bank, humanity produces nearly 2 billion tons of solid municipal waste (organic matter and other domestic waste, waste from offices, businesses, and building sites) every year. As the global population rises, this volume of waste is expected to grow by 70% by 2050.

A huge reservoir of renewable energy

More countries are introducing proactive policies to encourage the production of RNG, enabling the sector to develop quickly. For example, the European Union has doubled its biomethane (also known as renewable natural gas) production targets, through the REPowerEU program, aiming for an annual volume of 35 billion cubic meters by 2030. By 2050, the EU is targeting biomethane production of 900 TWh, compared with 40 TWh in 2022.

The EU and the U.S. alone account for almost 90% of this increase. The U.S., the world’s largest biomethane producer since 2019, has seen significant growth of 20%, reaching 2 billion cubic meters in 2022 (i.e., almost 30% of global production), while the European Union has increase biomethane production by 15% to reach almost 4 billion cubic meters in 2022.

In France, biomethane production has risen by about 65% over 2021, to 0.65 billion cubic meters, making it the second-largest producer of biomethane in Europe.

In a July 2022 study on the outlook for biomethane production in EU Member States, the Gas for Climate consortium estimates that the countries with the highest production potential in 2050 are: France (22 billion m³ per year), Germany (22 billion m³ per year), Spain (20 billion m³ per year), and Italy (14 billion m³ per year).

Yet, the U.S. landfill landscape is largely composed of small to mid-sized sites, many of which generate lower and more variable volumes of gas. These sites often face structural barriers to RNG development, including higher unit costs, fluctuating gas quality, and technical challenges such as elevated nitrogen and oxygen content. As a result, despite their significant cumulative potential, smaller landfills remain underexploited and represent an untapped opportunity for scaling RNG production nationwide.

Waga Energy’s WAGABOX® technology, recently deployed in the U.S., addresses this gap. Based on a combination of cryogenic separation and membrane filtration, the system can process LFG with high variability in composition, including elevated nitrogen (up to 30%) and oxygen (up to 3.5%). Unlike many upgrading systems in the U.S. market,WAGABOX® offers the flexibility to operate economically across a broader range of landfill sizes and gas qualities, making it particularly well-suited for smaller sites.

1) Steuben County, NY: In operation since March 2024, this is the first WAGABOX® unit injecting RNG into the U.S. grid. The landfill generates around 900 scfm of biogas—unusually low by U.S. standards. The project was made possible by a 20 year gas rights agreement and required less than 0.5 hectares of space. A previous LFG-to-energy system was decommissioned in 2019 for economic reasons.

2) Scott Area, IA: Scheduled to begin injection in August 2025, this project also involves a landfill producing less than 1,000 scfm of biogas. In this case, Waga Energy co invested in upgrading the landfill gas collection system, improving methane capture and enabling project viability. This also reduces fugitive methane emissions.

Both cases demonstrate the potential to extend RNG production to small-scale landfills previously excluded from the RNG value chain. The standardized design of the WAGABOX® unit allows relatively fast implementation—between 18 and 24 months— depending on site conditions and permitting timelines.
These deployments suggest a new technical pathway for enhancing methane recovery from smaller landfills in the U.S., with implications for both GHG mitigation and renewable fuel supply.

In the global energy transition, few markets are as promising as Brazil for renewable natural gas (RNG). With abundant waste resources, a supportive regulatory push, and rising environmental urgency, Brazil is rapidly shifting from potential to large-scale deployment. 

Brazil is emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic RNG markets. The 2025 Biogas Forum—the largest biogas and biomethane event in Latin America—set records with 1,500 participants and 55 sponsors. International institutions such as the International Energy Agency and the American Biogas Council highlighted Brazil’s growing role in the global energy transition. 

Studies by the Empresa de Pesquisa Energética confirm that RNG is now a fast-expanding industry. The updated National Solid Waste Plan (Planares, 2024) sets ambitious goals for landfill gas recovery, targeting 252 MW of capacity by 2040. With 850 operational landfills and nearly 3,000 inadequate disposal sites, this represents both a challenge and a strategic opportunity. 

Decree No. 12.614/2025, implementing the “Fuel of the Future Law,” introduced a landmark RNG mandate: all natural gas—sold, imported, or self-produced—must include at least 1% RNG, potentially rising to 10%. It also created the Biomethane Guarantee of Origin Certificate (CGOB) to certify and track renewable gas volumes. With an installed capacity of 224 million m³ per year as of January 2025, Brazil must add around 4 million m³ per day to meet its targets. 

In February 2025, Waga Energy launched Waga Energy Brasil, marking its entry into Latin America. With around 800 landfills and thousands of open dumps, the potential for RNG is immense. 

Waga Energy’s technology upgrades landfill gas into RNG, capturing fugitive methane while unlocking renewable energy potential. Beyond technology, the company offers a comprehensive service model, ranging from project analysis to financing, construction, and sale of RNG, thereby supporting Brazil’s efforts to eliminate greenhouse gases.

Waga Energy’s mission in Brazil focuses on:

• Maximizing the energy potential of landfill gas through proven upgrading technologies
• Expanding the supply of renewable gas to support national decarbonization objectives
• Contributing to methane emission reduction and improved waste management practices
• Supporting the development of a structured and scalable RNG market

For Waga Energy, Brazil represents a strategic opportunity to deploy proven solutions at scale and contribute meaningfully to the global energy transition.

In Italy, landfill sites show significant variability due to regional differences and historical waste management practices. As a result, landfill gas composition can vary considerably depending on waste type, site age, and operating conditions.

The transport sector in Italy accounts for a substantial share of total greenhouse gas emissions, making its decarbonization a key priority. Biomethane is recognized in national policy frameworks, including the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), as an effective lever to support this transition.

Beyond its environmental benefits, WAGABOX® technology brings a clear economic advantage. By combining superior energy recovery with exceptional operational reliability, the technology maximizes biomethane output and revenue from landfill sites - outperforming other biogas valorization solutions currently available on the market. 

For Italian landfill operators, this means turning an underused resource into a profitable, sustainable energy stream, while supporting the country’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 (according to Italian government). 

Waga Energy has been expanding its activities in Italy in recent years. The company has been established in the country since 2022, with headquarters in Milan. In October 2024, Waga energy signed a contract with Centro Servizi Ambiente Impianti (CSAI), a subsidiary of the Iren Group, to develop a biomethane production unit at a post-operational landfill in Terranuova Bracciolini (Tuscany). The unit is designed to produce up to 29 GWh anually, corresponding to an estimated avoidance of approximately 5,900 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year.

A second contract was signed in April 2025 with Scapigliato S.r.l., which manages waste for the municipality of Rosignano Marittimo (Tuscany). This unit is expected to have an installed capacity of around 92 GWh per year and an estimated avoidance of approximately 15,500 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually.

Together, these two projects represent a total installed capacity of approximately 120 GWh per year. The biomethane produced will be injected into the Italian gas transmission network and sold under private off-take agreements (BPAs).

These developments illustrate the growing role of landfill gas upgrading in Italy, complementing the country’s already well-established agricultural biomethane sector. Waga Energy intends to further deploy its solution across the Italian territory, in line with the country’s energy transition objectives.

As of the end of 2023, the UK’s biogas and biomethane sector has seen substantial growth: 

• 1,233 biogas plants, producing over 20 TWh annually 

• 120 biomethane plants (excluding landfill sites), generating 7.5 TWh per year 

• Landfill gas power generation accounts for approximately 3.2 TWh, with an installed capacity of 400 MW under the Renewable Obligation scheme 

Despite these figures, landfill biomethane production is not receiving the policy support it requires. Globally, landfill biomethane production is expanding rapidly, with successful projects across Europe and North America. Yet in the UK, the focus remains on landfill gas power generation rather than its conversion into biomethane for grid injection. 

By shifting incentives away from electricity generation from landfill gas and towards biomethane injection, the UK could unlock up to 5.5 TWh of additional biomethane from the country’s 100 largest landfill sites in the short term. 

Landfill biomethane projects leverage the same downstream technology and supply chains as anaerobic digestion plants, making it a low-risk, high-reward investment.