Proposal for a european biométhane roadmap

Biomethane can be produced from all kind of organic materials and can be used for electricity generation, as a biofuel in transportation and for providing heating and cooling. Biomethane can be blended with natural gas in any proportions and – correspondingly – the available natural gas distribution and storage network can handle biomethane too. The technology for upgrading biogas to biomethane is mature, efficient and safe.
Historically the biogas industry viewed „green” electricity as its main deliverable, while the support systems
in nearly all European countries gave preference to local production of electricity instead of upgrading biogas
to biomethane. This Roadmap shows the ways how this situation could be reversed, resulting in substantial increase in production and use of biomethane.
While preparing the Roadmap all renewable energy related European Union policy issues (such as environmental and climate protection, sustainability, ILUC, clean fuels for transportation, etc.) have been reviewed. The conclusion of the analysis is that promoting the production and usage of biomethane is in full harmony with the short-, medium- and long term energy and climate policies of the EU.
The IEE GGG project has reviewed the present market status and has thoroughly looked at the obstacles hindering the broader production and application of biomethane. The Roadmap indicates, that – if the
necessary actions will be taken – the level of biomethane production could reach 18-20 billion m3, about 3%
of the European natural gas consumption by 2030 and biomethane could provide min. 10% of total gaseous vehicle fuel consumption. Whether this role of biomethane would be reached is not a technical or raw material availability question – this is essentially the question of willingness, determination and consequent support by the political decision makers.

The key pre-conditions of realising the full biomethane potential are:

• the national renewable energy support/incentive schemes should treat the “green gas” (biomethane) equally with “green electricity”;
• the National Renewable Action Plans should be extended with a specific biomethane section to quantify the targets and determine the needed measures for achieving them;
• imported biomethane (if properly certified) should receive equal treatment (same support/incentives) with domestic production;
• national/domestic biomethane registries should be established in every biomethane producing country;
• the national/domestic biomethane registries should develop a Europe-wide cooperation aimed atcoordination and harmonisation of their activities;
• the European natural gas network should be declared as a single, closed mass-balance unit.The Roadmap addresses all the above issues along with other questions relevant to the development of the European biomethane industry.

Lire la suite du Rapport Green Gas Grids – Décembre 2013