Methane leakage can erase the climate benefits of wastewater biogas recovery

Xiatong Li; Jun Jie Zhu; Yuqing Yan; Trung Le; Zhiyong Jason Ren

doi:10.1038/s41893-026-01805-y

Methane leakage can erase the climate benefits of wastewater biogas recovery

Xiatong Li
, Jun Jie Zhu
, Yuqing Yan
, Trung Le
, Zhiyong Jason Ren

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

Abstract

Wastewater utilities use anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization to reduce energy costs and emissions, but methane leakage can undermine both the climate benefits and project economics of these systems, especially as power grids decarbonize. Safeguarding climate integrity will require performance-based methane policies that pair robust monitoring with enforceable leakage thresholds and targeted leak detection and repair.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	958-959
Number of pages	2
Journal	Nature Sustainability
Volume	9
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-026-01805-y
State	Published - Jul 2026

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Global and Planetary Change
Food Science
Geography, Planning and Development
Ecology
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Urban Studies
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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10.1038/s41893-026-01805-y

Cite this

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title = "Methane leakage can erase the climate benefits of wastewater biogas recovery",

abstract = "Wastewater utilities use anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization to reduce energy costs and emissions, but methane leakage can undermine both the climate benefits and project economics of these systems, especially as power grids decarbonize. Safeguarding climate integrity will require performance-based methane policies that pair robust monitoring with enforceable leakage thresholds and targeted leak detection and repair.",

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AU - Li, Xiatong

AU - Zhu, Jun Jie

AU - Yan, Yuqing

AU - Le, Trung

AU - Ren, Zhiyong Jason

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Springer Nature Limited 2026.

PY - 2026/7

Y1 - 2026/7

N2 - Wastewater utilities use anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization to reduce energy costs and emissions, but methane leakage can undermine both the climate benefits and project economics of these systems, especially as power grids decarbonize. Safeguarding climate integrity will require performance-based methane policies that pair robust monitoring with enforceable leakage thresholds and targeted leak detection and repair.

AB - Wastewater utilities use anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization to reduce energy costs and emissions, but methane leakage can undermine both the climate benefits and project economics of these systems, especially as power grids decarbonize. Safeguarding climate integrity will require performance-based methane policies that pair robust monitoring with enforceable leakage thresholds and targeted leak detection and repair.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037508424

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037508424#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1038/s41893-026-01805-y

DO - 10.1038/s41893-026-01805-y

M3 - Comment/debate

AN - SCOPUS:105037508424

SN - 2398-9629

VL - 9

SP - 958

EP - 959

JO - Nature Sustainability

JF - Nature Sustainability

IS - 7

ER -

Methane leakage can erase the climate benefits of wastewater biogas recovery

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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