In June 2024, the government of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) published a national biogas strategy ahead of the mandatory target in 2025.
Under this strategy, the government aims to produce up to 500 million m3 of biogas per year from 2026. To meet this goal, it proposes several measures, including simplifying the licensing process for new biogas production plants and adjusting biogas subsidies.
On the consumption side, the government is expected to amend the Urban Gas Business Act, increasing the biogas volume producers can directly supply to customers, including electricity companies and hydrogen producers, from 10,000 m3/month to 300,000 m3/month.
The Act on the Promotion of the Production and Use of Biogas Using Organic Waste Resources was enacted on December 31, 2023. Under this act, passed in December 2022, public-sector waste producers must convert 50% of their organic waste into biogas by 2025 and 80% by 2050. For private-sector waste producers, the mandate is 10% by 2026 and 80% by 2050.
This act applies to large-scale entities, including farms with more than 20,000 breeding pigs, livestock excrement disposal facility business entities with wastewater treatment facilities that process more than 100 tonnes/day, and entities that produce more than 1,000 tonnes/year of food waste.
In the future, this biogas will also be used as feedstock for renewable hydrogen and biomethanol.