Bounded Biofuels? Sustainability of Global Biogas Developments

• Published in: Sociologia ruralis Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 1 - 20
• Main Author: Mol, Arthur P.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Van Gorcum 01.01.2014; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biofuels; Biogas; china; ecological modernization; Energy; Environment; Environmental problems; Environmental sociology; flows; Gas; Globalization; Governance; Human ecology and demography; Networks; perspectives; prospects; renewable energy; researchers; Social science research; Social sciences; Social sciences researchers; Sociology; Sustainability; Sustainable Development; trade; urban; Development; Renewable energy; Sustainability; Network; Flow; World Society
• ISSN: 0038-0199; 1467-9523
• DOI: 10.1111/soru.12026

Compared to liquid biofuels biogas has hardly drawn any attention from social sciences researchers lately. Although the share of biogas and liquid biofuels in the energy portfolio of many countries are comparable, biogas systems are strongly place‐based and are non‐controversial in terms of sustainability. But is that a fundamental distinction between the two biofuel systems; or is it just a matter of time before biogas becomes globally integrated and subject to sustainability controversies? In using a sociology of networks and flows frame, the current state of and developments in biogas systems around the world are analysed. It is concluded that biogas systems are most likely to further globally integrate, but that it remains to be seen whether that will result in similar sustainability controversies as with respect to liquid biofuels. One determining factor is whether governance arrangements manage to condition the sustainability of globalising biogas developments.