Enabling Renewable Gases in Buildings with Green Contracts – Joint statement
14 May 2025
This joint statement, issued by European stakeholders in the heating and energy sectors, urges the European Commission to include Green Contracts for biomethane in the guidance for implementing Article 11 of EU Directive 2024/1275 on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD). The directive defines Zero Emission Buildings (ZEBs) as structures that must not emit on-site fossil carbon and should rely on renewable energy sources.
Green Contracts allow end consumers to verify their use of renewable energy, like biomethane, via market-based instruments such as Guarantees of Origin. These contracts are critical under current energy market structures, where renewable and fossil gases are indistinguishable once injected into the grid. Including them in EPBD guidance would support the recognition and tracking of renewable gas use, enabling compliance with EU sustainability and energy efficiency policies.
The signatories highlight that while Green Contracts alone won’t achieve ZEB standards, they complement other technologies (e.g., heat pumps, CHPs) and bolster investment in renewable gas, advancing the decarbonisation of Europe’s building stock.
