Georgii Geletukha and Yuriy Matveev about the prospects of biomethane in Ukraine — VI Ukrainian Gas Forum
UABIO Head of the Board Georgii Geletukha and UABIO Lead Expert Yuriy Matveev took part in the VI Ukrainian Gas Forum.
We emphasize that biomethane is almost 100% methane, which is formed either by enrichment of biogas or by gasification of solid biomass. Enriched biomethane is no different from natural gas, so it can be transported and used in the same way. Biomethane has the advantages of natural gas, while remaining carbon neutral. Learn more at the link.
Key opinions of our experts
Yuri Matveev:
According to the REGATRACE project, biomethane is produced in 18 countries. Half of the volume is in Germany, a significant share in the United Kingdom, as well as in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and France. Ways of end use depend on the legislation and types of support introduced in the state. The most effective support scheme (according to the survey within the project) is a fixed tariff for gas or electricity. In addition, it is worth considering a premium to the tariff; certificates / quotas / commitments; tax benefits, investment support.
To date, the European market for biomethane has not yet been formed, but attempts to harmonize it are already quite successful. In particular, the EU has a register of renewable gases ERGAR. Its role is to link the registers of biomethane production and consumption in different countries through a single interface. This register replaces bilateral and tripartite agreements and encourages the creation of new registers. We hope that such a register will be created in Ukraine as well.
Georgii Geletukha:
In Ukraine, we estimate the production potential of biogas / biomethane at 7.8 billion m3 of methane (CH4) per year, which is about 25% of natural gas consumption in Ukraine. The cost of biomethane in Ukraine is different. According to our estimates, the minimum cost is about 300 euros, the maximum can reach more than 1,000 euros. The main thing on which it depends — raw materials — cheap or expensive. In terms of supporting this area, in our opinion, the most optimal is the introduction of a “green” tariff for electricity production from biomethane.
That is why the Bioenergy Association together with the State Agency for Energy Efficiency has developed a draft law defining the term “biomethane”, providing for a “green” tariff for electricity from biomethane at the level approved for biogas, and initiating the creation of a state register for biomethane production and consumption.
Video of speeches of UABIO experts
Experts’ presentations
- World experience in the production, usage and promotion of biomethane. Yuri Matveev – member of the UABIO expert council.
- The state of production/consumption of biomethane / biogas in Ukraine, prospects and problems. Georgy Geletukha – Head of the Board of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine.
We thank the organizers of the forum, in particular the chairman of the conference Leonid Unigovsky, as well as the moderator of the panel discussion IV “Tasks and problems of the decarbonization process” Oleksandr Dombrovsky.
