European Biomethane Roadmap
The GreenGasGrids 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 million 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 at coordination and harmonisation of their activities;
• the European natural gas network should be declared as a single, closed mass-balance unit
