ABSTRACT In response to escalating environmental challenges and the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions, the agri‐food sector is increasingly exploring business models grounded in circular economy (CE) principles based on the production of biogas and biomethane. This study conducts a bibliometric‐systematic literature review (B‐SLR) to examine how organisations in this sector integrate CE and sustainability into their operations. The main objective is to assess the state of the art in the literature regarding the integration of CE strategies and sustainability dimensions—economic, environmental and social—into the business practices of biogas or biomethane producers. The analysis identifies three main thematic clusters: (i) sustainability and biogas, (ii) renewable energy and (iii) business models and CE. Findings reveal a predominant emphasis on economic and environmental aspects—such as cost‐efficiency, profitability and energy self‐sufficiency—while social dimensions, including community acceptance, remain under‐researched. Furthermore, business model innovation and stakeholder networks emerge as crucial enablers for overcoming financial, technical and social barriers. Notably, collaboration at the network level allows small and medium‐sized enterprises to access knowledge, resources and economies of scale otherwise unattainable individually. This paper provides a structured synthesis of the emerging management literature on renewable energy within agriculture, offering insights into how circular and sustainable business practices are conceptualised, implemented and assessed. It also highlights gaps in current research, particularly the lack of social impact evaluation and the need for clearer policy frameworks. Future studies should explore strategies for community engagement and improved public‐private coordination to ensure socially inclusive bioenergy transitions.
Cantele et al. (Tue,) studied this question.