Green Gas Initiative: 50% increase of biomethane in gas networks in three years

The Green Gas Initiative (GGI) members saw 11 TWh of biomethane injected in gas networks of their home countries in 2016, a 50% increase over the past three years. This promising result is one of the outcomes detailed in GGI’s recent first report on the development of biomethane.

“GGI is convinced that biomethane has a significant contribution to make in reducing CO2 emissions, in all the traditional uses of natural gas and in new ones like mobility (Natural Gas Vehicle). The sharp rise we are witnessing in the level of biomethane injection in our gas networks demonstrates the fruitful co-operation among GGI members,” underlines René Bautz, CEO of Gaznat and currently chairing GGI.

GGI calls on European policy makers to review the European Renewable Energy Directive so as to support the vigorous development of a European market for biomethane. The review should endorse two main objectives: facilitate cross-border trading of renewable gases by establishing an European certification scheme,
provide a simple, workable and supportive framework to renewable gases especially regarding Greenhouse gas Emission Saving criteria.

GGI comprises seven independent gas infrastructure companies who committed themselves to achieve a 100% carbon-neutral gas supply in their transport infrastructure by 2050: Energinet (Denmark), Fluxys Belgium, Gaznat (Switzerland), Gasunie (the Netherlands), GRTgaz (France), ONTRAS Gastransport (Germany) and Swedegas (Sweden).

The first report of activities for biomethane was agreed by the CEOs of GGI’s member companies at their annual meeting 2017 held in Prague during the 15th Annual Conference of Gas Infrastructure Europe. The full report, Biomethane – Naturally green gas, can be downloaded from http://www.greengasinitiative.eu/projects