European Commission and industry leaders launch Biomethane Industrial Partnership
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The European Commission and industry leaders, committed to the green energy transition, have launched today the Biomethane Industrial Partnership (BIP). This new public-private partnership was announced in the REPowerEU Plan and it aims to support the achievement of the target to increase annual production and use of biomethane to 35 billion cubic metres by 2030. This will reduce Europe’s dependency on natural gas from Russia in a cost-effective way. At the same time, it will substantially contribute to an integrated net-zero energy system, diversifying farmer’s incomes and ensuring a circular approach.
The Biomethane Industrial Partnership is open to all interested stakeholders that wish to work towards achieving its objective. All EU countries are invited to join the Biomethane Industrial Partnership, together with companies, industry associations, academia and civil society organisations.
Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Simson joined Harmen Dekker, CEO of the European Biogas Association, and Ole Hvelplund, CEO of Nature Energy, to mark the start of the Biomethane Industrial Partnership by symbolically opening a renewable gas pipeline during the EU Sustainable Energy Week in Brussels.
Executive Vice-President Timmermans said:
Europe has huge potential for the production of biomethane. With biomethane, we can replace fossil gas from Russia with homegrown, sustainable and renewable gas. Biomethane also creates new economic opportunities in rural areas. The Biomethane Industrial Partnership that we launch today will be instrumental to increase the production and use of biomethane across the EU.
Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, said:
Europe has great potential for producing biomethane, a green alternative for natural gas. In the current energy supply crisis, we cannot allow this potential to go to waste. The new Biomethane Industrial Partnership is open to all stakeholders to overcome barriers for growth, share best practices and foster collaboration to rapidly increase biomethane in production and use.
Harmen Dekker, CEO of the European Biogas Association, said:
The biomethane sector is ready to meet the 35 bcm target, which requires €70 to 80 billion of investment. The Biomethane Industrial Partnership will be instrumental in Europe to drive joint efforts to overcome barriers for investment, production and use.
Ole Hvelplund, CEO of Nature Energy, said:
The companies in the value chain are looking forward to working together to ensure a steep and simultaneous increase in biomethane production, grid-connection and off-take.
For inquiries, please contact secretariat@bip-europe.eu.
Background
Biomethane is the purified form of raw biogas and can be used as a natural gas substitute. It is one of the main renewable gases of the future and available today to decarbonise the EU's energy system.
As part of its REPowerEU Plan, the European Commission presented last May the biomethane action plan, including the setup of the Biomethane Industrial Partnership. Since then, the biomethane value chain has been working in cooperation with the European Commission on the implementation of the Biomethane Industrial Partnership to make sure Europe can reach the announced EU target for biomethane production.