Guideline for export of biomethane from Ukraine to the EU: UABIO report
We are sharing a useful analytical document prepared as part of the Innovate Ukraine project: “Development of a Business Model for Biomethane Production in Ukraine”.
This Guideline provides practical recommendations and key insights on the export of biomethane produced in Ukraine. It serves as a comprehensive roadmap to assist stakeholders in navigating the regulatory, technical, and market dimensions of cross-border biomethane trade.
This document is intended for a broad audience, including:
- Businesses engaged in production and commercial activities in the biomethane sector.
- Policymakers responsible for shaping the regulatory framework.
- Investors seeking opportunities in Ukraine’s promising biomethane sector.
It is equally relevant to gas transmission and distribution system operators, certification bodies, governmental authorities in both Ukraine and European countries, and international organisations advancing renewable gas development in Ukraine.
Download the report with recommendations on biomethane exports from Ukraine to the EU (in English)
Main topics of the report:
- Overview of the biomethane sector in Ukraine: key benefits, availability of feedstock, current state and potential of biomethane production in Ukraine, biomethane logistics (GTS and GDS injection, Bio-CNG, Bio-LNG), and the economic potential of biomethane.
- Legal and regulatory framework: relevant Ukrainian legislation, basic EU legislation and requirements, certification, and sustainability criteria.
- Technical requirements and procedures: connection to the gas infrastructure, gas quality standards, measurement and accounting, and transmission.
- Commercial and logistical aspects: step-by-step practical guidance for Ukrainian producers/exporters, tariffs, and costs.
- Strategic and policy context.
Conclusions
The export of biomethane from Ukraine is closely aligned with the objectives of the EU’s REPowerEU strategy, which seeks to bolster energy security and accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources. For Ukraine, fostering biomethane exports offers a strategic pathway to strengthening its economy, diversifying its energy markets, and contributing to regional energy independence.
Thus, Ukraine offers wide opportunities for using biomethane due to its extensive gas network system, which allows it to be supplied both to GDS and directly to the GTS. The choice of the optimal connection point is determined by the technical parameters of the networks and gas consumption in the region.
Ukrainian biomethane has significant export potential and prospects for successful competition in international markets, especially in the European Union. Ukraine’s powerful agricultural sector generates a large amount of organic residues suitable for biomethane production. The total energy potential of biogas and biomethane production in Ukraine is estimated at approximately 21.8 billion m³ per year.
Consumers and industrial enterprises seeking to reduce CO₂ emissions, especially in industries where natural gas is difficult to replace with electricity, may be the main buyers of Ukrainian biomethane in Europe.
The key factors for success are the creation of a Ukrainian biomethane register recognised in the EU and other European countries and the harmonisation of national requirements with EU standards. Biomethane production opens up a unique opportunity for Ukraine to launch a new transparent, innovative, export-oriented sector of the economy with the potential to produce more than 20 bcm of biomethane per year, export revenue of up to 9 billion euros annually (provided that 50% of the biomethane produced is exported), as well as the creation of up to 250,000 new jobs.
