Work

Biomethane from Wastewater Treatment Plants in the State of Minas Gerais: An Analysis of Production Potential and Associated Costs

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Biomethane is a renewable fuel obtained by upgrading biogas from anaerobic treatment of organic wastes and municipal wastewater. This study estimates the technical production potential and the levelized cost of biomethane (LCOB) for wastewater treatment plants in Southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, and benchmarks scale effects with a reference set of larger Minas Gerais municipalities operating Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactors. The assessment integrates population projections, wastewater generation and service coverage (collection/treatment), a COD-based methane balance with temperature correction, and capacity-parameterized CAPEX/OPEX equations to compute LCOB. In Southern Minas, LCOB spans US$0.49–12.72 per m 3 , Poços de Caldas at the lower bound (US$0.49) and Cambuí at the upper bound (US$12.72). In the expanded set, Uberaba and Contagem achieve US$0.26 per m 3 ; Uberaba is prioritized given its higher biomethane output. The total technical potential for Southern Minas is ≈1.19 million m 3 /year of useful biomethane (assuming 70% upgrading efficiency and 92% availability). A clear inverse relationship between methane flow (m 3 /h) and LCOB confirms economies of scale. Sensitivity tests (± 30% in OPEX, CAPEX, and discount rate) identify OPEX as the dominant driver of LCOB, followed by CAPEX and then the discount rate. The results support strategies focused on operational efficiency (energy management, predictive O&M), standardization/modularity, and scale-capturing arrangements (inter-municipal consortia, co-digestion, and integration with landfill gas). Transport and commercialization costs, excluded here, should be addressed in project-level evaluations.

Source: Waste and Biomass Valorization

DOI: 10.1007/s12649-026-03730-9

Authors: Josiane Mendonça Simão, Ivan Felipe Silva dos Santos, Johnson Herlich Roslee Mensah, Regina Mambeli Barros

Institutions: Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Universidade Federal de São Carlos

Language: English

Topic: Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production

Subfield: Building and Construction

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action, Responsible consumption and production, Clean water and sanitation, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,790