European Union Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen has described biogas and biomethane as important components of Europe’s energy security strategy, saying renewable electricity alone cannot meet the continent’s energy needs and gaseous fuels will continue to play a role, reported Bioenergy News.
Speaking at the European Biomethane Week conference in Brussels, Jorgensen highlighted the contribution of biomethane to reducing dependence on conventional energy sources.
Europe’s biomethane production capacity has crossed 8 billion cubic metres (bcm), backed by announced investments of 36 billion euro. Biogas and biomethane together supplied around 22 bcm of gaseous energy in 2024, equivalent to approximately 7% of European gas demand. The region has more than 20,000 biogas plants and nearly 1,700 biomethane upgrading facilities.
However, the European Biogas Association (EBA) said the sector is expanding below its potential. Europe could produce 35 bcm of biomethane annually by 2030, according to a recent technical assessment, but achieving this would require faster project approvals, stronger demand and a predictable investment framework.
EBA president Piero Gattoni called for regulations that encourage investment and industrial demand, along with workable sustainability rules and recognition of biomethane’s role in energy security and the decarbonisation of heavy transport and shipping.
EBA chief executive Harmen Dekker identified the lack of binding targets and limited commercial recognition of digestate as key constraints. Although around 98% of digestate is returned to agricultural land, it often has little or no market value. Clear rules on end-of-waste status could help develop markets for processed digestate, strengthen Europe’s organic fertiliser supply and reduce reliance on mineral fertilisers, he said.
A report by Common Futures and Guidehouse, Biomethane for a Climate-Neutral Industry, released at the conference, projected that industrial biomethane demand could rise from around 10 bcm by 2030 to 35 bcm by 2050. This would represent nearly half of current European industrial natural gas consumption. Steel, chemicals, paper, ceramics and industrial heat were identified as sectors with significant potential.
Germany currently produces around 8 bcm of biogas and biomethane, according to Stefan Rauh, managing director of the German biogas association Fachverband Biogas. He expressed the expectation that the country would introduce a comprehensive green gas quota system by 2028.
The European Investment Bank is also supporting the sector. Josep Oriol Bellot of the EIB said the bank provided 7.7 billion euro for bioeconomy projects last year and is implementing around 13% of REPowerEU investments, making it a major financier of biogas projects in Europe.
