Biomass is an integral part of the energy system being not only used in the chemical industry, but also as a basic raw material for the bio-economy sector, which is promoted worldwide. However, its potential can only be exploited sustainably if biomass is cultivated and governed appropriately. Consequently, governance systems are needed to ensure sustainability throughout the bioenergy value chain to maximise the benefits and minimise possible negative impacts. This study investigates how sustainability is put into effect in the German biogas market, the largest biogas market worldwide. The development of Germany’s biogas market is described according to the structure of a four-phase market model of Heuss: the introduction, expansion, maturing, and stagnation phase. Within each of these market phases, the most important German legislation for development of the biogas market was analysed, namely the Renewable Energy Act and legislation addressing associated sustainability issues. The development of the biogas market was controlled and steered by the adaptive Renewable Energy Act, particularly by incentivising cultivation of energy crops. Efforts to promote sustainability started during the transition from market expansion to market consolidation. The effects of these efforts on greenhouse gas emission reductions have been monitored and reported for more than 15 years, but assessment of other aspects of sustainability has varied. In general, legislation regulating the agriculture sector was changed to address new sustainability concerns with some delay. Sustainable development of the agricultural biogas market requires elements of governance, including adaptive legislation within the energy sector as well as monitoring and regular reporting of environmental impacts and related developments in areas of the agriculture sector, such as meat production. Rapid growth of capacity in the biogas sector combined with a significant increase in meat production, dependent on increased fodder production, created risks to sustainability. It can be concluded that the sustainable development of biogas requires additional instruments, possibly national regulation, in addition to legislation applied to the broader agricultural sector.

中文翻译：

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德国沼气部门的可持续性治理—农业与能源部门之间对《可再生能源法》的自适应管理

生物质是能源系统不可或缺的一部分，不仅用于化学工业，而且还作为生物经济领域的基本原材料，在世界范围内得到推广。但是，只有对生物质进行适当的种植和管理，才能可持续地开发其潜力。因此，需要建立治理系统来确保整个生物能源价值链的可持续性，以最大程度地提高收益并最大程度地减少可能的负面影响。这项研究调查了在全球最大的沼气市场德国沼气市场中如何实现可持续性。根据Heuss的四个阶段市场模型的结构来描述德国沼气市场的发展：引入，扩展，成熟和停滞阶段。在每个市场阶段中，分析了德国发展沼气市场最重要的法规，即《可再生能源法》和解决相关可持续性问题的法规。适应性可再生能源法，尤其是通过激励能源作物的种植，来控制和指导沼气市场的发展。在从市场扩展到市场整合的过渡期间，开始了促进可持续发展的努力。这些努力对减少温室气体排放的影响已经进行了15年以上的监测和报告，但是对可持续性其他方面的评估却有所不同。总体而言，为规范新的可持续性问题而对农业领域的法规进行了修改，但有所延迟。农业沼气市场的可持续发展需要治理要素，包括能源部门内的适应性立法，以及监测和定期报告农业部门领域的环境影响和相关发展，例如肉类生产。沼气领域产能的快速增长，加上肉类产量的大幅增长（取决于饲料产量的增加），为可持续发展带来了风险。可以得出结论，除了适用于更广泛的农业部门的立法之外，沼气的可持续发展还需要其他手段，可能还需要国家法规。沼气领域产能的快速增长，加上肉类产量的大幅增长（取决于饲料产量的增加），为可持续发展带来了风险。可以得出结论，除了适用于更广泛的农业部门的立法之外，沼气的可持续发展还需要其他手段，可能还需要国家法规。沼气领域产能的快速增长，加上肉类产量的大幅增长（取决于饲料产量的增加），为可持续发展带来了风险。可以得出结论，除了适用于更广泛的农业部门的立法之外，沼气的可持续发展还需要其他手段，可能还需要国家法规。