South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment is launching a 36.6 billion won (approximately $27.5 million) programme to localise key technologies for biogas power generation systems, reducing reliance on imported generators and components as the country's biogas market expands.
The funding — comprising 26 billion won from the national budget and 10.6 billion won from the private sector — will run from 2026 to 2029.
Development priorities include biogas-specific generator components such as fuel control valves, engine bodies and bearings, alongside real-time analytical technologies to detect hydrogen sulphide concentrations and an intelligent control system capable of automatically optimising generator operation and predicting failures.
The initiative follows the implementation of a mandatory biogas production system and responds to the particular technical challenges of biogas generation, where variable methane content and corrosive impurities demand higher levels of control technology than conventional natural gas systems.
Kim Go-eung, Director of the Resource Circulation Bureau, said the aim was to move beyond simply processing organic waste and instead "utilise it as a high-value energy resource," with domestic technology secured across the entire chain from biogas production to power generation.
South Korea to invest $27.5 million in domestic biogas generator development
