In Europe, the greatest adoption of anaerobic digestion has taken place in Germany. The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament (2004-2009) developed a report on Sustainable Agriculture and Biogas, which stated that “A Need for Review of EU-Legislation acknowledges biogas as a vital energy resource to contribute to sustainable economic, agricultural and rural development and environmental protection with the strong recommendation that the EU exploit the very large potential for biogas” (EU 2008). A recent German report claimed that Germany could produce more biogas by 2020 than all of EU’s current natural gas imports from Russia (Burgermeister 2008).

At the end of 2007, Germany had -3700 biogas plants with a total electric capacity of 1.25 GW in operation. Most of the new biogas plants have an electrical capacity between 400-800 kW, which was estimated by the German Energy Agency (DENA 2008). Energy crops make up a substantial portion of the substrate mixture with manure substrate at 50% or less. Germany is growing energy crops on -1.3 million ha (-11.4 % of its arable land). Although there are a number of large biogas digesters at wastewater treatment plants, landfill installations, and industrial bio — waste processing plants, the greatest volume of biogas is produced on farms and large co-digestion biogas plants. Noteworthy is that in Germany (and also in Austria where a similar biogas revolution has taken place) some automobiles run on biogas.

In Germany almost all agro-biogas plants use co-digestion with over 30 different organic byproducts and wastes. The drivers for the extensive biogas plants and electrical generating capacity are the implementation of: (1) the Renewable Energy Resources Act; (2) guaran­teed purchase of electricity produced from biogas at preferential rates for 20 years; (3) bonuses for electricity produced from renewable resources; (4) CHP systems; and (5) new technologies.

The confluence of renewable energy and economic and rural development has led to biogas-driven energy for sustainable rural communities. A good example is the village of Jfihnde, where a biogas plant of 700kW provides all of the required electricity and most of the thermal energy for ~750 residents. Home heating is supplied via a district hot water grid of ~3.3 miles (Fangmeier 2008). The feedstock for the digester is derived from manure of nine farms and from energy crops (i. e., maize, grasses, and wheat).