New roadmap of the European Biogas Association until 2040
As the European Union charts its path toward the 2040 Climate Targets, the European Biogas Association (EBA) has unveiled its strategic vision for biogases as a cornerstone of a sustainable, circular, and resilient energy system.
Thus, in its new roadmap, the EBA urges the European Commission to adopt a binding target of 100 billion cubic meters (bcm) of biogases by 2040, recognising its vital role in delivering energy security, emissions reductions, and economic development.
For the SAF platform, UABIO Expert Council member Yurii Matveev prepared an article on the new EBA roadmap. As a full member of the EBA, the UABIO calls on Ukrainian stakeholders to join the creation of the future European Biogas and Biomethane Charter.
The importance of the sector
Biogas and biomethane are environmentally vital and economically viable, offering flexible energy generation. They strengthen regional economies, create local jobs ensuring that economic investment revolves within Europe, and reduce dependence on foreign energy, fertilisers, and CO₂ supplies.
The biogases sector in Europe has experienced impressive growth over the past years, with a consistent 20% year-on-year increase in the last years. Currently, biogases provide 22 bcm of renewable gas to the European market, equal to 7% of EU natural gas consumption in 2023.
Therefore, EBA strongly advocates for a 100 bcm combined biogas and biomethane target for 2040 to be formally anchored in EU legislation. This figure is based on well-founded estimates of sustainable feedstock availability and would represent a transformative step for Europe’s green energy landscape.
The European Biogas Charter
This European Biogases Charter should include Member States’ commitment to:
- National Pledges for Biogases: which illustrating specific action plans for sustainable biogases deployment, so to substantiate Member States’ ambition to use these renewable gases as a cornerstone of a sustainable, circular, and energy-secure Europe.
- Accelerate biogases deployment: Streamline permitting procedures for biogases projects by implementing digitalisation, best practices, and coordinated administrative processes across Member States to reduce delays and uncertainty.
- Enhance market design: Improve support schemes and market incentives to ensure long-term investment visibility, and the integration of environmental and circular economy benefits provided by biogases.
- Boost infrastructure and production capacity: Facilitate investments to scale-up domestic production capacity of biogases, including grid connections, upgrading technologies, and storage infrastructure, ensuring alignment with national energy and waste management strategies.
- Promote circular economy contributions: Acknowledge and strengthen the role of biogases in providing renewable energy, organic fertilisers, and biogenic CO₂, helping to decarbonise hard-toabate sectors, restore soil health, and reduce dependence on fossil-derived CO₂.
- Strengthen strategic cooperation: Commit to regular dialogue and coordination with the European Commission and the biogases sectors to align efforts, monitor progress, and ensure effective implementation of this Charter.
Read the full material with more information on the SAF platform. You can also download the new EBA roadmap document there.
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.
