There is a great demand for biomethane in European countries - Ukraine will help

Ukraine has at its disposal the largest amount of raw materials for the production of biomethane and all the possibilities for its transportation to the EU, and in Europe there is currently a very high demand for this fuel. According to the chairman of the board of the "Bioenergy Association of Ukraine" Heorhiy Heletukha, EU countries produce about 3.5 billion cubic meters of biomethane per year. The plan until 2030 is to produce 35 billion cubic meters of biomethane annually. "Therefore, Ukraine has every opportunity to replace Russia in supplying Europe with renewable gases. Because Ukraine has the largest area of agricultural land in Europe, accordingly, we produce the largest amount of agricultural waste and residues that can be converted into biomethane. In addition, Ukraine has a highly developed system of gas pipelines.

We will remind that Europe made an important decision to become a CO2 neutral continent in 2050. This means that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to zero or almost zero. Accordingly, the consumption of all fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gas emissions when burned, must be ended. Including natural gas. And it will be replaced by renewable gases: biomethane, green hydrogen and synthetic renewable methane. That is why we pay so much attention to biomethane in Europe and the world. Currently, the first biomethane plant has appeared in Ukraine and legislation is being developed that will open the export of biomethane to other countries.

In addition, more than 30 biomethane plants will be built in Ukraine. As reported by the operator of the country's gas transportation system, more than 10 companies are considering the construction of the 31st biomethane plant with a capacity of 225 million cubic meters per year. Therefore, the successful positioning of Ukrainian biomethane on the EU markets requires a detailed and balanced approach, the purpose of which is to develop mechanisms for cross-border trade in biomethane, in particular, the removal of barriers to the sale of biomethane transported by the gas transportation system in EU countries. It is also important to unify regulatory requirements for biomethane with EU countries and remove internal restrictions on its export. This concerns both the coordination of customs formalities for the registration of the movement of biomethane across the border, and the provision of guarantees and certificates of its origin, which will be recognized both on the domestic and foreign markets.

Also, for the development of the industry, it is necessary to create additional financial instruments for cross-border lending, which can be used, in particular, to fully or partially cover the producer's costs for connecting to the networks. Currently, Ukraine is interested in a joint and quick search for such solutions. Stakeholders and government stakeholders understand that these are important steps on the way to energy independence, decarbonization and integration into the European gas market as a full partner, thanks to the realization of the potential of the biomethane industry.

We previously reported that for Ukraine, the development of bioenergy is one of the strategic areas of work in the agricultural sector. Therefore, the country continues to work on it to create a high-level IT solution for the biomethane registry that will be convenient for all parties.