On 12–16 October, European Biomethane Week 2026 took place in Brussels. It is Europe’s flagship annual event dedicated to biogas and biomethane, organised by the European Biogas Association (EBA). The Bioenergy Association of Ukraine joined the event, with UABIO legal expert Anna Pastukh travelling to Brussels on behalf of the association.
This year’s edition was held under the theme “Made in Europe: Biomethane at the Core of EU Energy Independence” and brought together hundreds of policymakers, industry leaders, investors and researchers from across Europe. Participants could join panel discussions, visit the exhibition, attend the European Renewable Gas Training Centre Masterclass and the EBA Awards ceremony.
UABIO sincerely thanks the European Biogas Association for organising an event of this calibre. We are very glad to have taken part in European Biomethane Week 2026. It was a valuable opportunity to learn first-hand where European biomethane policy is heading and to build new connections with colleagues from across Europe.
It was especially great to meet UABIO members in Brussels, including the Danish company Ammongas. Meetings like these at key industry events help strengthen ties within our community and exchange experience.
Biomethane: a strategic asset for Europe
One of the keynote speakers of the Week was Dan Jørgensen, EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing. He described biomethane as a strategic European asset that can strengthen energy security and support climate action at the same time.
“There is nothing more relevant than security. Yes, we need to look at prices and at flexibility, but independence needs to be the priority. Second thing is that climate change is here, and we know we need to act fast and do way more. Renewables play a big part to transition away from polluting electrons, but we will still need molecules and biogas biomethane is a part of those solutions“, said the Commissioner.
The EBA stressed that the sector needs a regulatory framework that turns biomethane potential into investment, production and industrial demand. The association named two main barriers to the sector’s growth: the lack of binding targets and the lack of full recognition of the value of digestate. Around 98% of digestate already returns to agricultural soils, yet it often has little to no market value.
Biogas and biomethane in Europe: key figures
- Biomethane production capacity in Europe has surpassed 8 bcm, backed by €36 billion in announced investments.
- In 2024, biogas and biomethane together supplied around 22 bcm of gaseous energy, roughly 7% of European gas demand.
- Europe is home to more than 20,000 biogas plants and nearly 1,700 biomethane upgrading facilities.
- According to an EBA technical assessment, Europe could produce 35 bcm of biomethane annually by 2030.
During the Week, Common Futures and Guidehouse launched the report Biomethane for a Climate-Neutral Industry. It estimates that industrial demand for biomethane could grow from around 10 bcm by 2030 to 30 bcm by 2040 and approximately 35 bcm by 2050, nearly half of current European industrial natural gas consumption.
Key topics
How to unlock the potential of biomethane was at the centre of this year’s panel discussions:
- Made in Europe: scaling biomethane for energy independence and resilience.
- Biomethane that means business: competitiveness, demand and de-risking.
- Towards a single market for biomethane.
- Fields of opportunity: sequential cropping, digestate and climate-smart farming.
- Rooted locally, valued widely: making biogas an integral part of thriving communities.
- Beyond biomethane: why bioCO₂ could be the next value frontier.
- Navigating the energy transition in European shipping.
These topics show how the perception of biomethane in Europe is changing. It is no longer seen only as a renewable energy source, but also as a driver for local communities, a source of organic fertilisers and biogenic CO₂, and a solution for decarbonising shipping and heavy industry. Meanwhile, the dedicated discussion on a single market for biomethane shows that the sector is moving towards common European rules.
This is particularly important for Ukraine. Decisions on certification, sustainability rules and cross-border biomethane trade will directly shape the terms on which Ukrainian producers can operate in the EU market. We will continue to closely follow how European biomethane regulation evolves.