Nearly three years after the launch of the REPowerEU initiative, Europe’s shift towards a cleaner energy future is gaining momentum. The plan, part of the broader European Green Deal, aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and position Europe as the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050, reports Bioenergy Insight.
A key focus of REPowerEU is increasing biomethane production to 35 billion cubic meters by 2030. EnviTec Biogas, one of Germany’s largest biogas producers, sees this as a major opportunity. “We’re seeing real growth in biomethane production, and the government’s support for new technologies is a big part of that,” said Olaf von Lehmden, CEO of EnviTec Biogas.
The company has been steadily investing in its own biogas plants and recently announced its largest-ever investment package. Launched in 2023, the expansion plan is worth around EUR 200 million. “Our current expansion will allow us to produce 400 gigawatt-hours per year, tapping even more of our plants’ potential,” added CFO Jörg Fischer.
This growth reflects wider market trends. “Looking ahead, biomethane production in Europe could increase ninefold, reaching 1,800 terawatt-hours annually by 2050,” Fischer said. The countries with the highest potential are France, Germany, Poland, and Spain, each projected to produce at least 200 terawatt-hours per year.
The heating and fuel sectors are expected to drive much of the demand for biomethane. According to a study by the German Energy Agency (dena), decentralised heating alone could require at least 50 terawatt-hours in Germany by 2040, with heating networks adding even more demand.
“We also see strong potential for biomethane use in road transport,” Fischer noted. Von Lehmden added, “In industrial heating, biomethane could realistically replace natural gas as a key energy source over the next 10 to 15 years.”
He explained that biomethane is already a viable and immediate option to reduce emissions from industrial heat production, which currently uses around 128 terawatt-hours of natural gas annually.
EnviTec’s leadership emphasized that renewable energy — particularly versatile biogas — offers a practical, cost-effective, and eco-friendly solution for Europe’s energy needs. “What we need now is action — it’s time to fully unlock the potential of biomethane to help drive the climate transition,” they said.
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