Greece is set to enter the biomethane market with its first production facility, as state-owned gas supplier DEPA Commercial prepares to convert surplus biogas into compressed biomethane for use as a transport fuel, Bioenergy Insight reported.
The project is being developed at the existing Farma Chitas biogas plant in Filippiada, in western Greece. The facility has received the country’s first installation permit for a compressed biomethane production unit and is nearing trial operations.
The new unit will process surplus biogas generated at the site and upgrade it into bio-compressed natural gas (bio-CNG), which will be sold through DEPA Commercial’s Fisikon network of service stations.
The existing plant is licensed to generate 3 MW of electricity from biogas, while its maximum biogas production capacity is equivalent to 3.6 MW. This leaves a surplus capacity of 609 kW available for biomethane production.
Spread across nearly 500 square metres, the new facility is designed to produce up to 2.28 tonnes of biomethane daily, equivalent to approximately 17 cubic metres of compressed bio-CNG, according to the project details.
Kyriaki Karakitsou, who oversees subsidiary activities at DEPA Commercial, said the project could help reduce Greece’s dependence on energy imports. She added that the facility would provide a basis for assessing further investments and the wider adoption of biomethane.
Following the trial phase, DEPA Commercial plans to apply for an operating licence, with full commercial operations targeted for early 2027.
The project marks a step towards using existing biogas infrastructure to produce transport fuel, potentially opening new opportunities for biomethane development in Greece.
