Newsletter February 2025
English version
Welcome to the latest issue of the biogaspartner newsletter - an information service from the German Energy Agency (dena) covering all aspects of biomethane. This newsletter informs you, among other things, about the setting of maximum values for tenders for biomethane plants by the BNetzA, the takeover of the Uniper subsidiary LIQVIS by EnviTec Biogas AG and the strategic partnership between BioCirc and Pentair.
Further information on the biogas partnership project and our partners can be found at www.biogaspartner.de
GENERATION
BNetzA sets maximum values for tenders for biomethane plants
The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has set the maximum values for tenders for biomass and biomethane plants for 2025 at the same level as the previous year:
- 19.43 ct/kWh for new biomass plants,
- 19.83 ct/kWh for existing biomass plants and
- 21.03 ct/kWh for biomethane plants.
This decision creates stable conditions for future tenders and prevents an automatic reduction in values in accordance with the EEG. In addition, the regional restriction for biomethane plants has been lifted, meaning that bids will be possible nationwide from September 2024.
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ASEW supports municipal utilities in the transformation to biomethane
ASEW supports municipal utilities in the development of biomethane products as an alternative to heat pumps. Despite the insolvency of biomethane trader Landwärme, the association sees potential in the blending of biomethane in natural gas heating systems. The current Building Energy Act offers starting points, but political uncertainties and high prices are making the market situation more difficult. Municipal utilities are encouraged to deal with certifications and product processing at an early stage in order to offer economical solutions in the long term.
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Agreement between government and opposition on new regulations for bioenergy, solar and CHP
The CDU/CSU, SPD and Greens have agreed on a reform. The one-off flexibility surcharge will be increased from 65 to 100 euros per kilowatt instead of the 120 euros demanded. In addition, the EEG tender volume for biogas plants will be more than doubled from 1,300 to over 2,800 megawatts, supplemented by several hundred megawatts for biomethane plants, which have not yet found any investors. The deadline for switching to flexible operation will be extended from two to three years. In addition, new CO₂ limits for CHP plants and a more flexible grid connection regulation for renewable energies are intended to modernize the energy system.
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Project funding for biomethane production by sewage treatment plants
The “Kläffizienter” research project at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is investigating how sewage treatment plants can become climate-neutral and energy self-sufficient by methanizing sewage gas. The BMWK is funding the project with 500,000 euros. The aim is to convert sewage gas into methane more efficiently and feed it into the natural gas grid, while artificial intelligence and renewable energies ensure optimized energy management. The findings could help to make sewage treatment plants energy-neutral by 2040, as envisaged in a new EU draft directive.
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MOBILITY
EnviTec Biogas AG takes over Uniper subsidiary LIQVIS
EnviTec Biogas has acquired the Uniper subsidiary LIQVIS, which operates 18 LNG filling stations in Germany and France. In future, only bio-LNG is to be sold via the existing infrastructure in order to further reduce CO₂ emissions in heavy goods transport. Production will take place at the EnviTec plants in Güstrow, Forst and Friedland, among others. Uniper welcomes the takeover as a logical step towards decarbonizing the transport sector.
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GHG quota: carbonify expands into the biomethane segment of the transport sector
Carbonify is expanding its business and entering the biomethane market to make it easier for natural gas station operators to switch to renewable fuels. The company offers services such as the procurement of certified biomethane, GHG quota optimization and regulatory support. With this step, Carbonify aims to actively shape the energy transition and offer operators economic incentives for sustainable mobility.
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Construction of new bio-CNG filling station in Meckenheim
Edeka Rhein-Ruhr is converting its truck fleet in Meckenheim to bio-CNG and is building a non-public CNG filling station together with OG Clean Fuels, which will go into operation in summer 2025. By 2028, all 130 trucks at the site will run on biomethane made from waste and residual materials. The first 24 bio-CNG articulated lorries will be deployed in Meckenheim as early as spring 2025. The use of bio-CNG is also being tested at the Edeka central warehouses in Oberhausen and Hamm.
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INTERNATIONAL
AT | Burgenland Energie sees potential of biomethane for the energy transition
The Austrian local energy supplier Burgenland Energie is planning to produce biomethane from agricultural waste to replace fossil natural gas. From 2025, biomethane is to be fed into the gas grid in Parndorf to cover 40% of the demand of three municipalities. The EU is aiming for biomethane production of 35 billion m³ by 2030, but Austria still lacks the political framework to implement this. Experts are calling for a Renewable Gases Act to exploit the full potential of biogas use and strengthen energy independence.
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UA | VITAGRO Group exports Ukrainian biomethane to Germany for the first time
The VITAGRO Group has exported Ukrainian biomethane to Germany for the first time. The plant, which was built between 2022 and 2024, started production in September 2024 and exported a test delivery of 720 MWh on February 7. The annual production capacity is 3 million m³, enough for 2,000 German households. The export is an important step towards integrating Ukraine into the EU energy market and reducing dependence on Russian gas.
DK | BioCirc and Pentair enter into strategic partnership for the storage of biogenic CO₂
Danish biomethane producer BioCirc plans to work with Pentair to permanently store up to one million tons of biogenic CO₂ to support Denmark's climate targets by 2030. Pentair is supplying five CO₂ liquefaction plants to capture the CO₂ from biomethane production and prepare it for storage in the Greensand Future project in the North Sea. The initiative is funded by the Danish Energy Agency and is considered a pioneer for CO₂ storage in the EU. The project is scheduled to start at the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026.
UK | New biomethane plant in Glentham successfully connected to national distribution network
VIDA Bioenergy has successfully connected its biomethane plant in Glentham, Lincolnshire, to the UK's national gas transmission network. The plant processes local organic waste such as straw, chicken manure and potato waste into biomethane and will double the biomethane feed into the grid to over 120 GWh per year. The Dutch company VIDA, a subsidiary of VTTI, is thus expanding further in Europe. The project is an important step towards decarbonization and supports the UK's energy transition with sustainable, green gases such as biomethane and hydrogen.
ES | Moeve plans to build up to 30 biomethane plants in Spain for 600 million euros
The Spanish energy company Moeve is planning to invest around 600 million euros in the construction of 30 biomethane plants in Andalusia, Catalonia and Galicia by 2030. The aim is to produce up to 4 TWh of biomethane per year from agricultural and animal waste. Through partnerships with Kira Ventures, Prezero and Inpro-Ener, five plants are to go into operation between 2028 and 2029. Production could recycle up to 10 million tons of waste and avoid 728,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
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FR | Sanofi signs historic agreement with ENGIE to supply biomethane
Global pharmaceutical company Sanofi has signed a Biomethane Purchase Agreement (BPA) with ENGIE to decarbonize 56 % of its gas consumption in France. The contract covers 1.3 TWh over six years and a further 110 GWh for the Lyon site over ten years. In addition, Sanofi has signed two power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 1.5 TWh of wind and solar power in France and 300 GWh of onshore wind power in Belgium. ENGIE's energy unit GEMS has already concluded BPAs with companies such as Arkema, BASF and Veolia.
FR | Construction of new biomethane feed-in station by Clemessy strengthens France's energy transition
French engineering and planning company Clemessy has installed a biomethane feed-in station for gas grid operator NaTran in Fontaine-le-Dun, northern France, to connect TotalEnergies' new biogas plant to the grid. The plant utilizes agricultural and agro-industrial waste and is expected to produce up to 150 GWh of biomethane per year, which could cover the energy needs of 30,000 inhabitants. The French gas industry plans to increase the production of renewable gases fivefold by 2030 and to switch completely to renewable gases by 2050.
PL | Poland opens the operation of its first odorless biomethane plant in Brody
Poland has opened its first odorless biomethane plant in Brody, operated by the University of Life Sciences in Poznań. The plant has an electrical capacity of 0.499 MW and will produce around 650,000 m³ of biomethane annually for use as bio-CNG. The project was led by scientists from the university and funded by the National Center for Research and Development. Climate Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska described the plant as an important step for the energy transition in rural regions of Poland.
US | WELTEC BIOPOWER connects new plant for bio-CNG production in the USA to the gas grid
In February 2025, German plant manufacturer WELTEC BIOPOWER commissioned a biomethane plant on a dairy farm in Barron County, Wisconsin. After just four months of construction, the plant produces 2.36 million Nm³ of biomethane per year from 207,000 tons of cattle manure, which is processed using modern membrane technology and fed into the gas grid. The project reduces CO₂ emissions by 11,200 tons per year and benefits from tax incentives for biomethane. The biomethane is used as a fuel and thus plays a decisive role in the decarbonization of the rural US transport sector.
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BR | Toyota Tsusho to lead a pilot project for biomethane production in Brazil
Toyota Tsusho, Ferrari Agroindústria, Toho Gas and Sebigas Cótica Bioenergia are planning a pilot project for biomethane production from sugar cane waste in Brazil. The plant in São Paulo is expected to produce 5,500 Nm³ of biomethane per day from 2026 and could later be expanded to commercial scale. The project uses existing gas infrastructure and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the long term, exports to Japan are also planned in order to expand the use of biomethane internationally.