Recent Advances in Biogas Production and Upgrading Technologies for Sustainable Energy Systems

ABSTRACT

Biogas and biomethane are becoming increasingly important in sustainable energy systems due to their contributions to waste valorization, greenhouse gas reduction, circular economy development, and improved energy security. This review evaluates recent advances in biogas generation and upgrading technologies reported between 2023 and 2026 through a systematic examination of the scientific literature. Recent advances in biogas production include increased reactor capacity, enhanced pretreatment procedures, conductive‐material‐assisted digestion, and bio‐electrochemical improvement. Advanced reactor designs, including biofilm‐based, two‐stage, and hybrid anaerobic systems, have increased biomass retention, process stability, and resistance to inhibitory chemicals. Technologies for upgrading biomethane, including scrubbing, pressure swing adsorption, membrane separation, cryogenic upgrading, biological methanation, and hybrid systems, have also made significant strides. While advanced chemical absorption techniques produced purities of up to 99.99% with less energy consumption, membrane technologies produced methane purities that were close to 98%. When combined with renewable hydrogen production, biological upgrading presents a viable route to the creation of carbon‐neutral biomethane. Anaerobic digestion systems are becoming more and more capable of predictive control and optimization due to digital technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things platforms, and digital twins. To speed up commercialization, future research should concentrate on low‐energy separation technologies, AI‐assisted process control, hybrid upgrading systems, and thorough techno‐economic analyses.