European biomethane output up 20% in 2022: EBA
Biomethane production in Europe grew by almost 20% in 2022 compared with the previous year, according to data from the new edition of the European Biogas Association (EBA) Statistical Report launched on December 5. Meanwhile, the EU dependency on natural gas imports went from 83% in 2021 to 97% in 2022.
“With gas import dependency on the rise together with the pressing climate emergencies, sustainable biogases production in Europe is of strategic importance: each Euro invested in biogases will remain in the European economy and provide an additional value of 50% before 2030 that will also stay within our economy,” said Harmen Dekker, EBA’s CEO.
Europe’s biogases production (combined biogas and biomethane) in 2022 amounted to 21bn m3. This is more than Poland’s entire inland natural gas demand and represents 6% of the EU’s natural gas consumption in 2022, EBA said.
Biomethane production alone grew from 3.5bn m3 in 2021 to 4.2bn m3 in 2022. In the case of Denmark, the share of biomethane in the gas grid was close to 40% and there are plans to increase this production to substitute 100% of the gas demand before 2030.
EBA said that the versatility of biomethane as a renewable energy source is reflected in its balanced distribution pattern across end-uses. About 22% was used for buildings in 2022, whereas a further 14% was used in industry, 19% for transport and 15% for power generation.