European biogas industry overview: sustainable and affordable
For the SAF platform, we have prepared a material based on the European Biogas Association (EBA) brochure “Decoding biogases”. It provides a short but comprehensive overview of the European biogas and biomethane sector.
The impact of biogases goes far beyond energy production, as they provide solutions to significant societal challenges. They support grid stability, provide affordable and sustainable energy, and offer effective waste management solutions. In addition, the biogas sector creates green jobs and boosts the development of the European Bioeconomy.
Biogas production
22 bcm of biogases were produced in 2023 in Europe. It`s:
- gas consumption of Belgium, Denmark, and Ireland combined;
- 7% of EU natural gas consumption in 2023
25 European countries are active in biomethane production. Currently, there are 1,510 biomethane plants in Europe, of which 1,324 are in the EU-27. More than 85% are connected to the gas grid (mainly distribution grids).
Biomethane production as of the first quarter of 2024 amounted to 6.4 billion cubic meters. Italy, France, Denmark and the UK are the leaders in biomethane production.
Sustainable feedstocks and a resilient energy transition
Since 2020, no new plants were established to run on energy crops as main feedstock.
New plants are being built to run on:
- agricultural residues;
- organic municipal solid waste;
- sewage sludge;
- industrial waste.
Biogases could significantly replace the future needs of gas, breaking the EU’s dependency from natural gas imports. Biomethane production potential by 2030 is higher than the 35 bcm proposed in the REPowerEU but needs to be unlocked. Target Plan estimates that combined consumption of natural gas, biomethane and biogas in 2040 will be of around 105 and 155 Mtoe (circa 125-184 bcm).
By 2040, biomethane production could supply 85% of a reduced gaseous fuels demand. EU countries with the highest potential: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Poland.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Biogases play a crucial role in complementing and enabling the growth of other renewables. They provide clean, dispatchable power generation capacity, which is essential for bridging periods of prolonged low solar and wind output.
This requires stronger connections between the electricity and gas systems to compensate for drops in dispatchable power, mitigate grid congestion, and ensure grid stability.
As biomethane is chemically identical to natural gas, it can swiftly decarbonise the EU gas grid by being directly injected into the existing gas infrastructure. Reusing this pre-existing asset in the energy transition avoids the significant costs and time associated with producing new vehicles, heating appliances, energy storage, or networks.
Read the full material with chapters on digestate, biogenic CO2, and socio-economic impact on the SAF platform.
We remind you that UABIO is a partner of the Sustainable agribusiness platform (SAF).
SAF is a communication platform that brings together agribusiness stakeholders and aims to establish strong links between market players and introduce sustainable approaches in agriculture. For this platform, our team prepares verified professional content on the bioenergy sector.
