Interview with Anna Pastukh on Ukraine’s biomethane sector: legislation, sustainability, and the role of women in the industry
“Effective legislation creates the foundation for the sustainable development of biogas and biomethane. In turn, biogas and biomethane are part of Ukraine’s energy independence, climate goals, and EU integration”.
In the interview with Stowarzyszenie Biogas Women, Anna Pastukh, a legal expert at UABIO, discussed the development of Ukraine’s biomethane legislation, the industry’s growth during the war, and the opportunities the sector offers to women.
Since joining the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine in 2015, she has led its legal work and contributed to the development of the country’s bioenergy sector. Her areas of expertise include: drafting laws and legislative amendments, developing subordinate acts on bioenergy, providing comprehensive analyses of Ukraine’s renewable energy legislation, supporting the implementation of regulations in the biogas and biomethane sectors.
Anna has been actively involved in drafting amendments aimed at aligning Ukrainian legislation with the EU energy acquis. She also advises on the practical implementation of laws governing biogas and biomethane, contributing to the development of an effective energy policy that supports the sector’s continued growth.
Building Ukraine’s legal framework for biomethane
— You are a Legal Expert working for UABIO, the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine. What is the main focus of your work? How does your day-to-day work in biogas look?
— My main focus is improving the legal framework for biogas and biomethane in Ukraine. In practice, that means drafting legal proposals, working with government bodies, and helping create rules that make it easier for the sector to grow.
A big part of my work is also supporting UABIO members with specific legal questions. Sometimes that means reviewing a problem they are facing and looking for a practical solution; sometimes it means pushing for changes in legislation or regulation.
One of the most important milestones was the development of Ukraine’s first biomethane rules. Before 2021, there was no real legal framework for biomethane production. UABIO helped start that process, and I worked on the first drafts. Later, other experts joined, and the main law was adopted in 2021. I also worked on the government resolution that created the biomethane registry, which was approved in 2022.
In 2024, we worked on the legal changes needed to allow biomethane exports from Ukraine to the EU. I helped draft amendments to the Customs Code for that purpose. In February 2025, Ukrainian producers made their first deliveries to the EU market.
The legal challenges
At the moment, six Ukrainian companies are producing biomethane, but there are still legal questions to resolve, especially regarding:
- export procedures,
- the connection between Ukraine’s biomethane registry and the EU’s UDB,
- the recognition of Ukrainian guarantees of origin in the EU.
This remains an important part of my work today.
We also often receive requests from members about specific legal barriers. For each case, we gather the facts, analyse the problem, prepare legal proposals, and advocate for changes with the authorities so companies can operate without legal gaps.
A strategically important and resilient energy sector
— How do you see the Ukrainian biogas and biomethane industry? What is the main key-success factor for so fast development? What is the main difficulty during the war?
— I see Ukraine’s biogas and biomethane industry as a strategically important and resilient part of the country’s energy system.
Before the war, the sector was already growing steadily, and now it is gaining additional relevance because it supports the circular economy. energy security and rural development.
Ukraine has a very large feedstock base:
- agricultural residues,
- livestock waste,
- food-industry by-products,
- organic municipal waste.
Studies show that the country could produce more than 1 bcm/y of biomethane by 2030. The cost of raw materials in Ukraine is lower than in the EU, making Ukrainian biomethane competitive.
What made fast development possible?
The main key success factor for the sector’s relatively fast development has been the creation of a legal framework where none existed before. This legal foundation, I mentioned previously, together with gradual harmonisation with EU standards, gave investors and producers the minimum level of certainty they needed to move forward.
The industry during the war
During the war, the biggest challenge has been the security situation and the direct damage to infrastructure.
At least two agricultural biogas plants in the east and south had to stop production, and two landfill gas recovery systems were lost, with a total loss of about 5–7 MW of installed electrical capacity. Overall, about 5% of biogas and biomass capacity was damaged or destroyed.
Even so, the sector remains resilient because it:
- is decentralised,
- relies on widely distributed feedstock,
- is increasingly aligned with EU law.
The main challenges now are war-related risks, the need to finalise export rules, and the development of the domestic market.
Women in Ukraine’s biogas industry
— How many women work in your country in the biogas sector? Which roles do they choose? What are the opportunities Ukrainian biogas offers to women? What are the obstacles?
— Ukraine does not have separate official data for the biogas sector. The closest available figure is for energy overall, where women make up about 27% of the workforce in Ukraine.
That is close to the global average of around 31% in energy companies. In biogas, the share is likely similar, but I want to be clear that there is no exact number for the sector alone.
Which roles do women choose?
The roles women choose tend to follow a clear pattern. Most work in:
- legal support,
- environmental and permitting issues,
- finance and investment,
- grant writing,
- carbon reporting,
- communications,
- project management.
Technical and field jobs, such as operating biogas plants, handling equipment, and managing feedstock logistics, are still mostly done by men. This reflects the wider energy sector, where women are more often in administrative, financial, and communications roles than in technical ones.
New professional opportunities
The opportunities are strong. Biogas is still a relatively new field, so there are fewer old barriers and more room for career growth. Ukraine’s path toward the EU creates high demand for skills in areas where women are already strong:
- regulation,
- carbon markets,
- sustainable finance,
- the circular economy.
The war has also changed the labour market. Many men have been mobilised, which has opened vacancies and increased interest in hiring women.
Rebuilding Ukraine on clean energy is a real chance to build a more balanced sector from the start.
Barriers that still exist
The obstacles are real as well. The biggest one is that women are often present in middle roles, but still rarely reach top management.
Other barriers include:
- the gender pay gap,
- the idea that energy is a “male” field,
- the lack of visible role models,
- the heavier family and caregiving burden that the war has made even harder.
“This sector needs you”
— How would you encourage other women to join the biogas and biomethane sector?
— This sector needs you, and there is room for you right now. Biogas and biomethane in Ukraine are still being developed, which means there are no closed doors.
I would also tell women that you do not need an engineering degree to belong here. The sector depends on many different skills:
- law and regulation,
- finance and investment,
- environmental management,
- carbon reporting,
- communications,
- project coordination.
If you are good at solving problems and learning new rules, there is a place for you. And if you are interested in the technical side, that path is open too. The field needs people and welcomes those who are ready to learn.
It also helps to see this work as more than just a job. Biogas and biomethane are part of Ukraine’s energy independence, climate goals, and EU integration. When you join the sector, you are not only building your own career. You are also helping the country rebuild on cleaner and more secure energy. That sense of purpose is what keeps many people in the sector.
Take the first step
Practically, I would encourage women to take the first step:
- Join a training programme.
- Find a mentor already working in renewables or bioenergy.
- Attend industry events.
- Connect with networks of women in energy.
And finally, I would say that your presence changes the sector itself. Every woman who takes a visible role becomes a model for the next one and helps make the field more open.
What should Biogas Women focus on?
— What should the Association like Biogas Women focus on? How can we support Biogas Women around the world?
— I think an association like Biogas Women should focus first on visibility.
One of the biggest barriers women describe is the feeling that the sector is not really for them. Seeing other women lead projects, run plants, and speak at conferences can change that. That is why sharing women’s stories through profiles, interviews, and awards matters so much.
The second priority should be practical access through training and mentoring. Many women already have the right skills, but they do not always have a clear entry point.
The association can:
- connect newcomers with experienced mentors,
- offer courses on project management, regulation, and the technical basics,
- help members move into roles they may not have considered before.
Cross-border networking is also very important. Biogas and biomethane develop at different speeds in different countries, and women can learn a great deal from each other. A global association can share experience on permitting, regulation and financing.
It can also give members in emerging markets like Ukraine access to knowledge from more mature ones, especially now, as Ukraine aligns with EU rules.
Women can learn a great deal from each other.
A green suit or a green handbag?
— I chose the green handbag. I always carry a bag made from recycled materials and avoid buying plastic bags.
If that bag is also green, it becomes a visible reminder of the mission behind renewable energy and biogas:
- sustainability,
- circularity,
- less reliance on fossil-based plastics.
Carrying a recycled green bag reflects UABIO’s values, sends a clear environmental message in everyday life, and shows that small personal choices can support the wider clean-energy transition.
The original interview is available on the Stowarzyszenie Biogas Women page
Biogas Women is an association that brings together experts, female scientists, business leaders, technical specialists, and representatives of government agencies working in the biogas and biomethane sector. The initiative supports the development of renewable energy sources, builds a strong community of women in the industry, and strengthens their tangible impact on the direction of the energy transition.
