Georgii Geletukha: Biomethane is a classic WIN-WIN situation
In an interview for the online media “Energoreforma” (in Ukrainian), UABIO Head of the Board Georgii Geletukha voiced important arguments as to why biomethane and not green hydrogen.
“As soon as our colleagues in Europe saw Ukraine’s first steps in creating a biomethane market, we were immediately approached by two powerful European energy companies, including the German RWE, and told that they are already interested in buying our biomethane!” – said the Head of the Board of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine.
It will be recalled that the introduction of the biomethane market is a strategically important area of UABIO’s work. Currently, a draft law has been developed with the active participation of the Association.
If the draft law is successfully passed and the first biomethane plant to sell biomethane abroad is successfully built, we will have a biomethane boom and have a large market in Europe. At this stage, the prospect is to export.
Biomethane is a classic WIN-WIN situation! We do not ask the state for money, we will create jobs and demand for products, we will load the network.
Georgii Geletukha
Main thoughts
- We are leaders in Europe in terms of biomass potential, and in terms of cost, because we can offer the cheapest raw materials for biomethane production. The cost of green hydrogen is three times higher than that of biomethane. It is valued in dollars per kilogram, so this price is about 6-7 dollars per kilogram, and if we count in comparable units, it is three times more expensive.
- Ukrainian biomethane potential per year is 8 billion cubic meters. This is 25% of the gas we consume.
- Biomethane can be obtained from almost all agricultural wastes, which are now processed in very small quantities.
- The typical cost of biogas projects is about 3 thousand euros per 1 kW of electric power.
- Biomethane is absolutely ready to pump to the network and does not require investments in changing the gas infrastructure.
- It is necessary to legalize this, as well as to create a register of biomethane to have a guarantee of its origin, and no natural gas was pumped into the pipe under its guise. Without it, biomethane will not legally become biomethane.
- Yes, decarbonized energy is more expensive than traditional energy, but there is a high demand for renewable gases in Europe. They are one of the components of the Green Deal, and European countries will not have time to produce so many renewable gases. They are interested in exporting from other countries. Ukraine can produce this biomethane!
Source: Interview of Georgii Geletukha “Biomethane development is a classic win-win situation”: https://bit.ly/3z936HS (in Ukrainian).
