Gas for Climate publishes updated biomethane production potentials for EU Member States, assessing the feasibility of the 35 bcm REPowerEU target for 2030 and providing outlook to 2050.
Today, the Gas for Climate consortium published an update on biomethane production potentials in EU Member States , building on the renewed ambition of the EU to accelerate biomethane production and the advancements in technology.
The study shows that enough sustainable feedstocks are available in the EU-27 to meet the REPowerEU 2030 target (35 bcm). In our estimate, up to 41 bcm of biomethane in 2030 and 151 bcm in 2050 could be available. This is significant as the current (2020) EU natural gas consumption is 400 bcm (of which 155 bcm was imported from Russia).
As such, biomethane can play an important role in meeting the EU’s 2030 GHG reduction target and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Additionally, biomethane can increase European energy security by reducing the dependency on Russian natural gas and can alleviate part of the energy cost pressure on households and companies. To achieve this, significant scaling up is required both in the short- and long-term as today, 3 bcm of biomethane and 15 bcm of biogas are produced in the EU.
Whereas Gas for Climate previously estimated the sustainable supply potential in the EU-27 (and UK) at 35 bcm in 2030 and 95 bcm by 2050, for the recent publication our sustainable production potentials were updated to reflect the most recent developments. In the paper, a unified methodology is applied to identify both the short- and long-term potential of biomethane production in the EU, Norway, Switzerland and the UK, based on sustainable feedstocks.
Overall potentials
Enough sustainable feedstocks to produce up to biomethane 41 bcm in 2030 and 151 bcm in 2050 (EU-27).
Breakdown of the overall potentials
- A potential of 38 bcm is estimated for anaerobic digestion in 2030 for EU-27 increasing to 91 bcm in 2050. The top 5 countries in both 2030 and 2050 consistently include France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain. Key sustainable feedstocks to achieve these potentials are manure, agricultural residues and sequential cropping, where the latter dominates the potential for 2050.
- A potential of 3 bcm is estimated for thermal gasification in 2030 for EU-27 increasing to 60 bcm in 2050. The top 5 countries in 2030 and 2050 consistently include France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Italy.
- Even more biomethane potential can be unlocked by looking at additional feedstocks (e.g. biomass from marginal or contaminated land and seaweed, as noted in the REPowerEU plan), and technologies (e.g. hydrothermal gasification of wet feedstocks, including organic wastes and residues).
This is the first analysis of specific biomethane potentials per country that has applied a unified methodology at the European level. Therefore, following the renewed biomethane ambition by the EU, the 35 bcm target needs to be pro-actively translated by Member States into national targets incorporated into their National Climate and Energy Plans and appropriate measures (e.g. permitting, financing, certification, etc) enacted to scale up their sustainable domestic biomethane industries.
Read the full publication: https://gasforclimate2050.eu/publications/.
Notes for Editors
Gas for Climate was initiated in 2017 to analyse and create awareness about the role of renewable and low carbon gas in the future energy system in full compliance with the Paris Agreement target to limit global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius. To this end, the entire economy has to become (net) zero carbon by mid-century.
The Gas for Climate group consists of eleven leading European gas transport companies (DESFA, Enagás, Energinet, Fluxys Belgium, Gasunie, GRTgaz, Nordion, ONTRAS, OGE, Snam, and Teréga) and three renewable gas industry associations (European Biogas Association, Consorzio Italiano Biogas and German Biogas Association).
The CEOs of the twelve members are: Piero Gattoni (Consorzio Italiano Biogas), Harm Grobrügge (European Biogas Association), Horst Seide (German Biogas Association), Maria Rita Galli (DESFA), Marcelino Oreja Arburúa (Enagás), Thomas Egebo (Energinet), Pascal De Buck (Fluxys), Han Fennema (Gasunie), Thierry Trouvé (GRTgaz), Ralph Bahke (ONTRAS), Jörg Bergmann (OGE), Stefano Venier (Snam), Hans Kreisel (Nordion Energi), Dominique Mockly (Teréga).
In a series of reports over the past few years, the Gas for Climate consortium showed that renewable and low-carbon gases have an important role to play in the EU energy system and that existing gas infrastructure and knowledge can support the transition to an energy system with net-zero CO₂ emissions at the lowest societal cost. The Gas for Climate vision and pathways towards 2050 cover all energy-intensive economic sectors and demonstrate, along with the crucial role of renewable and low-carbon gases, that current policies and trends are not yet sufficient to realise Europe’s climate ambitions for 2030 and 2050 Policy and market actions are required to speed up the transition, and progress of necessary developments must be closely monitored to ensure the transition is achieved at the lowest societal costs.
For more information, please contact the Gas for Climate member organisations:
| Consorzio Italiano Biogas Caterina Nigo Tel: +39 0371/4662633 Mail: a.vitale@consorziobiogas.itEnagás Alexandra Issacovitch Tel: +34 917099442 Mail: vaissacovitch@enagas.es DESFA Energinet European Biogas Association Fluxys Belgium Gasunie |
GRTgaz Lilia Brandusa Tel: +33 (0)7 62 59 13 29 Mail: lilia.brandusa@grtgaz.comNordion Energi Saila Horttanainen Mail: saila.horttanainen@nordionenergi.se ONTRAS OGE Snam Teréga German Biogas Association |
About CIB – Consorzio Italiano Biogas
CIB aggregates and represents the agricultural biogas and biomethane value chain in Italy. Formed in March 2006, CIB provides information to its members to improve, optimize and innovate biogas production processes, fostering greener and efficient low carbon farming practices through its flagship initiative Biogasdoneright®. CIB brings together farmers that run biogas plants, industrial companies that supply equipment and technology, companies operating in the fields of agriculture, consultancy, mechanization and transports; research centers and agricultural associations that supply data and promote anaerobic digestion in agriculture. CIB is also a founding member of EBA -the European Biogas Association. For more information, go to www.consorziobiogas.it.
About Enagás
Enagás is a TSO (Transmission System Operator) with 50 years’ experience in the development, operation and maintenance of energy infrastructures, operating in eight countries: Spain, the United States, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Albania, Greece and Italy. The company has more than 12,000 kilometres of gas pipelines, three strategic storage facilities and eight regasification plants. In Spain, it is the main natural gas transporter and the Technical Manager of the Gas System. Enagás is firmly committed to the decarbonisation process and therefore is bounded to the development of projects to promote renewable gases – green hydrogen and biomethane – sustainable mobility and energy efficiency, among other areas. The company is a world leader in its sector in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), according to the latest revision of this index. For more information, go to www.enagas.es.
About Energinet
Energinet was founded in 2004 as an independent public enterprise owned by the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. Energinet owns, operate and develop the transmission systems for both electricity and natural gas in Denmark. Energinet’s aim is to enable a cost-effective transition of the energy systen to 100 % renewable energy while maintaining the high level of security of supply. For more information, go to www.energinet.dk.
About European Biogas Association
Founded in February 2009, EBA is the leading European association in the field of biogas and biomethane production covering the anaerobic digestion and gasification industries. Committed to the active promotion of the deployment of sustainable biogas and biomethane production and use throughout Europe, EBA has created a wide network of established national organisations, scientific institutes and companies. In 2018, the association counted more than 90 members from all over Europe and has established co-operation with biogas associations from outside Europe. For more information, go to european-biogas.eu.
About Fluxys Belgium
Fluxys Belgium is the independent operator of both the natural gas transmission grid and gas storage infrastructure in Belgium. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Fluxys LNG, the company also operates the Zeebrugge liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. Fluxys Belgium is a subsidiary of Fluxys, the gas infrastructure group based in Belgium and active across Europe. We are committed to continue building a greener energy future for the generations to come. People, industry and societies all need energy to thrive and progress. Fluxys Belgium accommodates this need: we put energy in motion through our infrastructure. We move natural gas while paving the way to transport in our infrastructure hydrogen, biomethane or any other carbon-neutral energy carrier of the future. For more information, go to www.fluxys.com/belgium.
About Gasunie
Gasunie is a European energy infrastructure company. The company provides the transport of natural gas and green gas via its subsidiaries Gasunie Transport Services B.V. (GTS) in the Netherlands and Gasunie Deutschland in Germany. The company also offers other services in the energy infrastructure field, including hydrogen, heat, CCS, gas storage and LNG. Gasunie commits itself to accelerating the energy transition and to the realization of a climate neutral energy supply. For more information, go to www.gasunie.nl.
About German Biogas Association
The German Biogas Association (Fachverband Biogas) has joined the Gas for Climate initiative. This means that the sector association from the country with the most biogas plants and the largest installed capacity in Europe will be more involved in the joint effort to achieve the 2-degree target of the Paris Agreement. In order to reach the target, the scale-up and switch to green gases are seen as key components. Their knowledge and experience of biogas and biomethane are seen as a valuable addition to the consortium. For more information, go to www.biogas.org
About GRTgaz
GRTgaz is a world expert in gas transmission networks and systems and a leading European gas transmission system operator. In France, GRTgaz owns and operates more than 35,000 km of buried pipes and 26 compression stations used to ship gas between suppliers and consumers. GRTgaz is committed to ensuring security of supply to consumers, connecting territories and communities with great care for the environment. GRTgaz delivers innovative and accessible solutions to accelerate and secure a successful energy transition by connecting the energies of tomorrow, driving the growth of renewables and new uses for gas while fostering synergy between electricity and gas systems. For more information, go to www.grtgaz.com.
About Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA) S.A. is responsible for the operation, management, use and development of the Hellenic National Natural Gas System. DESFA is a reliable partner in the framework of the ongoing international energy projects in Southeastern Europe. DESFA is committed to support the fulfilment of the National Energy & Climate Plans targets, by planning its energy transition towards the decarbonize economy. For additional information, please visit the following website: www.desfa.gr.
About Nordion Energi
Nordion Energi, is specialized in gas infrastructure with the aim to drive the energy transition and becoming the first gas grid in Europe with 100% green gas. We operate the gas grid in Sweden, which extends from Dragör in Denmark to Stenungsund in Sweden and transports energy to distributors and customers with direct links. The gas grid supplies 33 municipal areas and several combined heat and power plants and is also used in more than 34,000 households and in the transport sector. For more information, go to www.swedegas.com or www.nordionenergi.se/en.
About ONTRAS
ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH is a German gas transmission system operator in the European gas transport system based in Leipzig. ONTRAS operates Germany’s second-largest gas transmission system, with approximately 7,000 km of pipelines and about 450 interconnection points. The green side of ONTRAS has been at the heart of our company culture for many years. Our goal is to reach a 100% carbon-neutral gas supply by 2050. There are currently 22 biogas plants connected to the ONTRAS transmission network injecting 180 million cubic meters of biomethane every year – approximately 17% of the total German biomethane in the gas network. Furthermore, two power-to-gas facilities are currently connected to the ONTRAS network converting electricity generated by wind turbines into hydrogen which is then injected into our grid. We work together with a variety of partners to examine the possible application of hydrogen and explore the massive potential of our own infrastructure for the transport of renewable energy. For more information, go to www.ontras.com.
About OGE
With a gas transmission system spanning 12,000 kilometres, OGE, seated in Essen, is among Europe’s leading transmission system operators. Two thirds of natural gas consumed in Germany flows through our pipeline system, comprising about 100 compressor units and about 1100 exit points. All over the country, our approximately 1,450 staff ensure safe, environmentally friendly and customer-oriented gas transmission. We also offer the technical and commercial services to go with it, and we provide commercial, technical and IT services for other companies on the basis of third-party arrangements. Moreover, we actively support the European gas market and work together with the European distribution network operators to create the prerequisites for transnational gas transportation and trading. For more information, go to https://oge.net/en.
About Snam
Snam is one of the world’s leading energy infrastructure operators and one of the largest Italian listed companies in terms of market capitalization. Through its international subsidiaries, it also operates in Albania, Austria, China, France, Greece, India, UAE and UK. The company has the largest natural gas transmission network and storage capacity among European peers and is also one of the main operators in regasification. As part of a €7.4 billion plan to 2024, Snam invests to make its infrastructure hydrogen ready and develop new energy transition businesses such as sustainable mobility, biomethane and energy efficiency. Snam also aims to enable and promote the development of hydrogen to foster decarbonisation in the energy sector and industries. Snam’s business model is based on sustainable growth, transparency, the promotion of talent and diversity and the social development of local areas through the initiatives of Fondazione Snam. For more information about the company, please visit www.snam.it.
About Teréga
Teréga has a network of more than 5,000 km of pipelines and two underground storage facilities, representing 16% and 24% of national capacity respectively. Teréga is a major player in energy and has been located in South-West France for over 70 years. As part of its public-service obligations, Teréga transports natural gas to more than 400 delivery stations in the most secure, cost-effective, and reliable conditions. Teréga enjoys a strategic position in Europe, where it provides interconnections that guarantee security of supply. Teréga is aware of the vital role of renewable gases in the energy transition, and wants to help accelerate the green revolution through increasing involvement in biomethane, natural gas for vehicles, and Power to Gas. For more information, go to www.terega.fr.
For questions about the study, please reach out to: Jan Cihlar – jan.cihlar@guidehouse.com
About Guidehouse
Guidehouse is a leading global provider of consulting services to the public and commercial markets with broad capabilities in management, technology, and risk consulting. We help clients address their toughest challenges with a focus on markets and clients facing transformational change, technology-driven innovation and significant regulatory pressure. Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and technology/analytics services, we help clients create scalable, innovative solutions that prepare them for future growth and success. Headquartered in Washington DC, the company has more than 7,000 professionals in more than 50 locations. Guidehouse is led by seasoned professionals with proven and diverse expertise in traditional and emerging technologies, markets and agenda-setting issues driving national and global economies. For more information, please visit: www.guidehouse.com
