Biogas Byproduct Finds New Life Under EU Rules

New certification regime opens cross-border trade but raises cost concerns for smaller biogas plants

4 Oct 2025

Europe’s biogas sector is adjusting to a significant policy shift as the EU’s Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) enables digestate to be sold across the bloc as a CE-marked fertiliser, provided producers meet strict safety, traceability and contaminant limits. The change turns a material once seen mainly as waste into a potential revenue source for operators.

SUEZ is among the first companies to obtain EU certification. The process took almost a year of audits, testing and data checks to confirm compliance with the regulation. Annual maintenance costs for the certified site are estimated at €6,000, a figure the company says is specific to its operation. “We can now market our digestate as a fertilizing product rather than treat it as waste, which creates value and reduces costs,” a SUEZ representative told the European Biogas Association.

The new framework encourages producers to tighten feedstock management and improve monitoring. Plants using mixed or lower-grade inputs are likely to face closer scrutiny, while larger facilities with established quality-control systems may find certification more accessible. Industry groups note that certified volumes remain modest at this stage; gaining CE status broadens market access but does not immediately generate large traded quantities.

For investors, the reform alters the cost calculus of renewable gas. Certified digestate offers an additional income stream and may draw more capital to integrated energy-and-fertiliser operations. Smaller operators, however, could struggle with the administrative and technical demands of compliance.

The European Biogas Association has welcomed the move as a step toward harmonised markets but cautioned that inconsistent enforcement across member states could limit early adoption. Companies are calling for uniform rules to avoid new barriers to cross-border trade.

As EU sustainability targets grow more stringent, the certification regime is emerging as more than a procedural update. By linking renewable energy production with soil management and waste reduction, policymakers aim to support a more circular and resilient bio-economy across the bloc.