The World Biogas Expo 2026, held at the NEC Birmingham on 8–9 July, confirmed that digitalisation has become one of the defining themes shaping the future of anaerobic digestion (AD).

Alongside advances in engineering, biology and feedstock management, conversations throughout the exhibition focused on how data, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies can improve plant performance, increase profitability and support the transition to a more resilient renewable energy sector.

One of the highlights of the conference programme was ADBA’s Digitalisation and AI for Biogas Operations session, bringing together operators, researchers and technology providers to explore how AI is moving from research into practical deployment. It was a privilege to contribute to the session and share BiofuelAi’s perspective on how intelligent decision support can help operators unlock more value from existing assets.

A clear message emerged throughout the conference: the industry is moving beyond simply monitoring plant performance.

Modern anaerobic digestion plants generate vast quantities of operational, laboratory and process data, yet much of this information remains underutilised. The challenge is no longer collecting data. It is transforming that information into better operational decisions.

One trend that was impossible to miss across the exhibition was the growth in data dashboard solutions. Multiple companies showcased platforms that consolidate operational information into intuitive visual dashboards, enabling operators to monitor performance, identify trends and access key performance indicators more easily. This reflects a growing recognition that operational data is a valuable business asset.

However, dashboards are only the beginning of the digitalisation journey. They help operators understand what is happening. The next generation of digital technologies will help answer why it is happening and, more importantly, what actions should be taken next.

Across the conference there was growing recognition that future software platforms will combine operational data, laboratory analysis, feedstock management, maintenance information and commercial drivers into a single decision-support environment. The focus is shifting from reacting to problems towards continuously optimising whole-site performance.

During my presentation, AI-Driven Optimisation for Anaerobic Digestion, I discussed one of the industry’s biggest challenges. Despite being one of the most complex biological production systems, anaerobic digestion remains one of the least data-driven process industries. Operators continue to rely heavily on experience and intuition, with relatively few tools capable of linking feedstocks, biology, operational performance and commercial objectives into a single optimisation framework.

At BiofuelAi, we believe AI should augment operator expertise rather than replace it.

Our approach combines engineering principles, uncertainty-aware machine learning and optimisation to create decision-support tools that help operators evaluate thousands of possible operating scenarios. Rather than relying on “black-box” AI, our focus is on providing recommendations that operators can understand, trust and act upon.

Ultimately, the objective is not simply to predict what will happen, but to help operators make better decisions with greater confidence.

The World Biogas Expo 2026 confirmed that digitalisation is no longer an emerging trend. It is becoming an essential part of modern anaerobic digestion.

The future is unlikely to belong to a single technology. Data dashboards, engineering models, machine learning, optimisation algorithms and large language models all have important roles to play. The challenge for technology providers is selecting the right combination of tools for the problem being solved, rather than applying AI simply because it is fashionable.

We would like to thank ADBA and the World Biogas Expo organisers for another outstanding event and for continuing to provide an invaluable forum for collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing across the global biogas community.

BiofuelAi develops next-generation software that combines engineering, optimisation and artificial intelligence to help anaerobic digestion operators improve plant performance, increase profitability and reduce environmental impact.

Our mission is to work alongside the industry to make anaerobic digestion more productive, more profitable and more sustainable through practical, trusted and explainable digital technologies.