Indonesia is grappling with a growing food waste crisis. According to the UN’s Food Waste Index 2024, households discard an estimated 14.73 million tons of food each year, the highest level in Southeast Asia.
On average, each Indonesian throws away approximately 53 kilograms annually, with much of it ending up in overflowing landfills, such as Sarimukti in West Java, where half of the daily waste volume consists of food.
When left unmanaged, these scraps decompose and release methane, a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than CO₂ over the short term. But what seems like an environmental liability could, in fact, be an untapped energy asset: biogas.
What Is Biogas?
Biogas is produced when organic materials—such as food scraps, livestock manure, or crop residues—break down in oxygen-free environments.
Through anaerobic digestion, bacteria convert waste into a gas mixture dominated by methane (50–70%) and carbon dioxide. Captured via biodigesters, this biogas can be used for cooking, electricity, or upgraded into renewable natural gas for vehicles.
The remaining solids, known as digestate, are far from useless. They can be repurposed into organic fertilizer, reducing dependence on costly chemical inputs.
For Indonesia—a country still reliant on imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)—biogas offers a homegrown, renewable alternative.
How Much Biogas Is Produced from 1 Kg of Food Waste?
Kitchen scraps—packed with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—are among the most efficient feedstocks for biogas.
Based on research from Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering in Navi Mumbai, just one kilogram of food waste can generate around 0.3 cubic meters of biogas. To put that into perspective, Energypedia notes that one kilogram of LPG is equivalent to approximately 2.1 cubic meters of biogas, meaning the gas produced from a single kilogram of food waste is roughly equivalent to 0.14 kilograms of LPG.
The same research also shows that biogas from food waste is far more efficient than that from animal waste, since one kilogram of leftovers can produce as much gas as 40 kilograms of cow dung. In other words, what may look like a small pile of kitchen scraps actually carries more energy potential than a much larger heap of manure.
When scaled up, the potential becomes even more impressive. In several areas of Yogyakarta, such as Yogyakarta City, Sleman, and Bantul—collectively known as Kartamantul—around 120 tons of food waste are collected daily. That volume could generate more than 13,000 cubic meters of biogas each day, enough to fuel thousands of stoves or supply electricity to entire communities.
How Much Does It Cost to Produce Biogas?
Globally, the cost of producing biogas ranges from US$2 to US$20 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), with Southeast Asia averaging around US$9. For reference, an MMBtu is a standard unit of energy commonly used for natural gas, approximately equivalent to the energy generated from burning 28 cubic meters of natural gas.
Of that total cost, the majority—between 70 and 95 percent—is spent on constructing biodigesters, while the feedstock is often available at very low cost or even free. In fact, in many cases, waste producers are willing to pay to have their organic residues removed, giving biogas operators a “negative cost” advantage when it comes to raw materials.
Although the upfront investment in infrastructure, particularly when electricity generation is added, remains significant, the long-term benefits are clear. Landfill gas recovery systems, for instance, can produce biogas at less than $3 USD per MMBtu, making it one of the most cost-competitive renewable energy options available.
Job and Economic Potential
Compared to LPG, the energy economics are compelling. While LPG delivers 49.51 MJ/kg, biogas with 70% methane content provides around 35 MJ/kg, roughly 70% of LPG’s energy value.
With LPG priced at Rp80,000 for a 12-kg cylinder (about Rp7,000/kg), a household biodigester producing 6 Nm³ of biogas per day (180 Nm³/month) could save up to Rp7.05 million (US$422.50) annually, or around Rp600,000 (US$35.85) per month.
The economic benefits extend beyond cutting household fuel costs. Biogas systems also turn waste into income.
The digestate left behind can be processed with effective microorganisms into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, creating an additional revenue stream for households and farmers. In this way, biogas not only saves money but also adds value through compost sales.
Moreover, scaling up biogas infrastructure creates jobs. In the United States, for example, estimates suggest that adding 13,500 new biogas systems could generate over 335,000 construction jobs and 23,000 permanent positions.
Indonesia, with its vast supply of organic feedstock—from palm oil effluent and livestock manure to household scraps—holds similar potential. Expanding biogas could open tens of thousands of green jobs across the archipelago, supporting both rural livelihoods and national energy goals.
Currently, Indonesia operates just over 48,000 small-scale digesters, a modest figure compared to China’s 42 million units. Yet with a target of 23% renewable energy by 2025, biogas stands ready not only to strengthen energy resilience but also to deliver broad economic and social benefits.
Why Biogas Still Struggles to Scale in Indonesia
Despite its promise, biogas adoption in Indonesia faces persistent challenges. First, biogas has yet to be embedded in the country’s core energy strategy. Without a cohesive national framework, development remains fragmented and lacks long-term direction.
Second, infrastructure gaps hinder progress. Systems for collecting, transporting, and processing organic waste are still underdeveloped, especially beyond pilot areas.
Third, inconsistent technology standards complicate implementation. Many small-scale digesters deliver unreliable results, eroding public trust and deterring investment.
Overcoming these hurdles will be key, but with the right mix of policy investment and innovation, biogas could move from the margins to one of Indonesia's most promising tools for a sustainable future.
Sources:
https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1209090/FULLTEXT02.pdf
https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth/sustainable-supply-potential-and-costs
https://goodstats.id/article/indonesia-jadi-penghasil-sampah-makanan-terbesar-di-asean-7olEG
https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth/sustainable-supply-potential-and-costs
https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-biogasconverting-waste-to-energy
https://www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id/2025/02/14/potensi-hambatan-dan-solusi-pengembangan-energi-biogas-di-indonesia
https://www.ijert.org/a-review-on-bio-methane-production-using-kitchen-waste
https://distan.bulelengkab.go.id/informasi/detail/artikel/hematnya-menggunakan-biogas-99
https://energypedia.info/wiki/BLEENS_-_Biogas,_Liquefied_Petroleum_Gas,_Electricity,_Ethanol,_Natural_Gas,_and_Solar#:~:text=1%20L%20LPG%20=%201.05%20m3,LPG%20=%202.1%20m3%20of%20biogas
https://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/glossary/mmbtu
