Industry Associations Unite to Ask for Binding EU Target for Biomethane in Gas Regulation Trilogue
26 October 2023 | News
MARCOGAZ, alongside 44 other associations, has recently signed a letter emphasising the crucial need for a binding EU target for biomethane within the ongoing Gas Regulation trilogue discussions. The letter highlights the importance of the Hydrogen & Gas Package in legally endorsing ambitious plans for renewable gases, as proposed by the REPowerEU initiative.
While acknowledging the initial steps taken by policymakers to incorporate some aspects of the REPowerEU plan into the Hydrogen & Gas Package, the signatories stress the necessity for a more comprehensive approach. They welcome the efforts to address regulatory barriers and define incentives for the deployment of biogas/biomethane, along with the reference to the 35 bcm (billion cubic metres) objective in the European supply adequacy outlook. Moreover, the signatories express concern that the 35 bcm target for biomethane remains non-binding under the current regulation.
In light of this, the industry associations urge policymakers to establish an ambitious binding target for biomethane at the EU level, citing the critical role it would play in achieving the necessary decarbonization goals in the European gas sector. The letter underscores the Hydrogen & Gas Package as the final opportunity to introduce a binding target for biomethane, as the recently adopted Renewable Energy Directive is deemed insufficient in addressing the full scope of the REPowerEU ambitions for renewable gases.
Furthermore, the coalition calls for a broader binding EU-level target encompassing the development of all renewable gases, emphasising the need for concrete measures to mandate the reduction of the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of the EU gas mix by 2030. They emphasise that the Package is the only policy encompassing all types of gases, including low carbon and renewable variants, and not including such measures would represent a missed opportunity.
In conclusion, the signatories appeal to policymakers to consider incorporating a gas decarbonization target within the Package, at least as a recital, to guide future discussions on reducing GHG emissions in the sector. This unified effort by industry associations underscores the significance of robust regulatory frameworks in fostering the transition to sustainable energy sources and achieving EU-wide climate objectives.