With fossil fuel production needed to decrease worldwide 6% per year to follow a 1.5°C-consistent pathway, fossil gas is an unsuitable energy source in a decarbonized future. The gas industry and several energy companies propose “renewable gas” - biogas, power-to-gas and hydrogen - as an optimal alternative to fossil gas, that would ideally allow to reduce GHG emissions, while preserving the use of fossil gas infrastructures and vehicles. Biogas currently represents a tiny share of the EU's energy mix, the industry produces around 2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of biogas per year, while total EU’s gas consumption accounts for around 479 bcm per year. While important growth is expected in the coming years, several stakes may put into question the viability and reach of these ambitions.
Considering that biogas will only help to decarbonize the EU economy if it is produced from low carbon feedstocks such as wastes and sustainably available residues, in this webinar we discussed the estimated technical potential for sustainable biogas towards 2050. We explained what it would be required to achieve this potential in terms of investments, and political and regulatory support. Finally, we discussed the case of France, who is positioning itself as a biogas leader in Europe.
Key messages:
- Can we get climate benefits from biomethane? Yes from some pathways, not from others
- Will biomethane be cost effective? Some renewable methane will make economic sense, but not all of it
- Can biomethane transform our gas supply into a fully low-carbon resource? No, it can replace a small fraction of it
- Can biomethane make a large contribution to decarbonizing transport, heat, and power? No, it can make a modest contribution to decarbonization
- Need to project the biogas future with narratives that integrate energy AND farming issues. There are possible positive impacts but at what scale ? With which accurate safeguards?
Learn more:
- Read ICCT’s article “A methodological comparison for estimating renewable gas potential in France”
- Read ICCT’s article “The potential for low-carbon renewable methane in heating, power, and transport in the European Union”
- Read ICCT’s article “The potential for low-carbon renewable methane as a transport fuel in France, Italy, and Spain”
- Watch our webinar “The role of hydrogen in climate transition: potential and limitations”
