Newsletter July 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 joint industry recommendation of BALANCE, Verbio, biogeen, the DAH Group and EnviTech Biogas AG to politicians, the record profit result of Westfalen AG and the commissioning of a BIOCH4NGE biomethane plant of the AB Group in northern Italy.
Further information on the biogas partnership project and our partners can be found at www.biogaspartner.de
GENERATION
HBB statement on the draft amendment to the EnWG
In a statement regarding the current draft bill to amend the Energy Industry Act (EnWG), Hauptstadtbüro Bioenergie (HBB) welcomes the transitional regulation for the Gas Grid Access Ordinance (GasNZV, Section 118 (4)), which expires at the end of 2025, but criticises the lack of inclusion of other relevant sections (Sections 32-34). Without a successor regulation from 2026, there is a threat of massive deterioration for biomethane plants when connecting to the grid - contrary to EU requirements and the coalition agreement. The bioenergy associations are therefore calling for a priority gas grid connection to be enshrined in law, a fair distribution of costs and more contractual freedom for biogas plant operators.
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BALANCE: Joint industry recommendation to politicians
On 16 July 2025, biomethane producer BALANCE and other leading biogas companies such as Verbio, biogeen, the DAH Group and EnviTech published a joint 5-point paper with political demands for the 2025-2029 legislative period. The central concerns: securing gas grid access, long-term legal planning security (e.g. via green gas quotas), a central sustainability register, accelerated approval procedures and the removal of biomass restrictions. The aim is to anchor biogas more firmly in politics as part of the energy and climate strategy.
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Byont Germany takes over Ruhe Biogas Service
In July 2025, the German subsidiary of Dutch biomethane project developer Byont acquired plant operator and developer Ruhe Biogas Service GmbH with 22 employees, thereby strengthening its position in the German market for renewable gases. Byont had already acquired two bio-LNG projects from Ruhe in March, each with a production capacity of around seven tonnes per day. The acquisition is part of the company's growth strategy and expands its expertise in project development, sustainability and sales of biomethane and bio-LNG.
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Aiwanger promotes the ‘BioMeth’ initiative of the Free State of Bavaria to promote biomethane
During a visit to a biogas upgrading plant operated by E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH in Aiterhofen on 30 July 2025, Bavaria's Energy Minister Hubert Aiwanger emphasised the importance of biomethane for the energy supply and called for faster approvals and better grid access. The E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH plant not only feeds biomethane into the gas grid, but has also been liquefying food-grade CO₂ since 2023. As part of the ‘BioMeth Bayern’ funding programme, eleven projects have received over EUR 4.2 million in funding to date, triggering investments of around EUR 15.5 million.
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Q-Hof in Fricking wants to contribute to gas production
Frickinger Q-Hof, a farm in the district of Heidenheim, is planning to build a biogas upgrading plant to feed around 1.3 million Nm³ of biomethane into the gas grid every year from 2026 - enough to supply heat to over 400 households. Methane and CO₂ are to be separated from around 2.3 million Nm³ of biogas, significantly reducing CO₂ emissions. The municipal council unanimously voted in favour of the project, which is seen as a contribution to climate protection and regional energy supply.
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MOBILITY
Agravis Raiffeisen AG also advocates bio-CNG and bio-LNG for heavy goods transport
AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG, an agricultural trading company that also operates its own petrol stations, is calling for greater political support for biomethane-based fuels such as bio-CNG and bio-LNG in heavy goods transport, as these tried-and-tested technologies can make an immediate contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions. According to AGRAVIS, the current EU strategy, which only wants to exempt electric and hydrogen lorries from tolls, falls short. To support the market ramp-up, the company is in favour of investment subsidies, stable GHG quota prices and an extension of the GHG reduction obligation until 2040.
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Westfalen AG with record profit and expectations of strong impetus from Europe
Despite challenging conditions, particularly in the domestic market in Germany, the Westfalen Group exceeded the EUR 100 million mark for the first time in 2024 with an EBIT of EUR 103.5 million, thus achieving a record result. Around 50% of the result already comes from low-emission business areas, including biomethane-based heat: a combined heat and power plant generates electricity and heat from biomethane, thus also driving the expansion of climate-friendly energy infrastructure. In the heating market, Westfalen is also focussing on electricity-based solutions such as heat pumps and bio-LPG for heating buildings. Despite its success, investments in Germany are lagging behind expectations due to political uncertainties - stable framework conditions and faster approvals are therefore urgently needed.
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Agreement between Verbio and TND on payment with fuel cards
Verbio has been accepting the TND Multi-Service Card at all 25 of its own BioCNG and BioLNG filling stations in Germany since July 2025, thereby expanding its network coverage for haulage and logistics companies. The climate-friendly fuel made from biomethane offers ranges of up to 1,600 kilometres and is already available at over 40 stations (incl. partner network). Verbio also relies on bio-CNG and bio-LNG in its own vehicle fleet and currently operates 120 out of 150 tractor units with the low-emission fuels from its own production.
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HEAT
Municipality of Erkner strengthens planned biomethane heating network with heat pump
In Erkner (Brandenburg), green district heating will be fed into the grid for the first time from autumn 2025 - over 50% of which will come from renewable energies. The central element is a biomethane cogeneration plant with an electrical output of 360 kW and a thermal output of 400 kW, which generates electricity and heat from biomethane and supplies the connected large heat pumps. The new heating system replaces fossil natural gas boilers and is part of a EUR 2.4 million project subsidised by the federal government to the tune of EUR 600,000.
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INTERNATIONAL
AT | Opening of a biomethane plant in Wallern to supply the local heating network
A new biomethane processing plant from Biogas Trattnachtal GmbH was commissioned in Wallern an der Trattnach, which uses three-stage membrane technology to process biogas from sewage sludge and biogenic waste into over 98% pure biomethane. From now on, up to 200 Nm³/h of biomethane will be fed into the grid of Netz Oberösterreich GmbH - this corresponds to around 18 GWh of renewable energy per year and supplies around 1,000 households. The plant was realised together with Evonik Fibres, Wels Strom and other partners.
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CH | Resolution of the Swiss gas industry to open the 50th biomethane plant
The Swiss gas industry will commission its 50th biomethane plant in 2025, exceeding the 500 GWh annual production mark for the first time. Currently, 12% of gas consumption already comes from renewable sources. Biogas also plays a key role in the winter electricity supply and helps to reduce dependence on imports.
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NL | RED III biofuel draft opens up the biomethane market for EU imports
As part of RED III implementation, the Netherlands is planning a new greenhouse gas reduction quota for land, inland waterway and maritime transport from 2026, with the exception of air transport. Fuel suppliers with an annual consumption of over 500,000 litres must use at least 14.4% renewable fuels in 2026, rising to 27.1% by 2030. Biomethane can contribute to target fulfilment as an advanced biofuel (Annex IX Part A), whereby fuels from Part B such as used cooking oil or animal fat are limited in their inclusion. Double counting will be abolished and sector-specific counting rules for emission reduction units (EREs) will apply.
GR | Greek biomethane future market with key function for energy transition
Greece has an annual biomass potential of 16.3 million tonnes, from which 0.72 billion Nm³ of biomethane or 6.92 TWh of energy could be produced. By 2030, 2.1 TWh of biomethane is expected to replace Russian natural gas, and 4.6 TWh is planned by 2050 - with savings of 280,000 tonnes of CO₂ and 1,635 new jobs. Regulatory clarity, efficient logistics, certificates of origin and targeted promotion of bio-CNG/bio-LNG are needed to utilise the potential.
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IT | Infranity provides FemoGas S.p.A. with EUR 245 million in financing for the construction of a biomethane plant
The Italian biomethane producer FemoGas has received EUR 245 million in financing from the investment company Infranity to refinance and expand biomethane plants with a total capacity of 0.5 TWh. Seven plants, three of which are already in operation, will supply liquid biomethane for road and ship transport in Europe in particular, doubling production capacity by 2027. The project is expected to save 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year and at the same time strengthen Italian agriculture and the production of sustainable fertilisers.
IT | Koster has commissioned AB Group's biomethane plant
The Italian waste recycling company Koster has commissioned a new BIOCH4NGE biomethane plant in San Nazzaro Sesia (northern Italy) from plant constructor AB Group with an annual capacity of 6.4 million Nm³, which utilises over 60,000 tonnes of organic waste and sewage sludge. The biomethane produced is fed into the national gas grid and is also used locally as a vehicle fuel. In addition, 50,000 tonnes of compost are produced annually for agriculture; the EUR 25 million project demonstrates a fully circular approach to decarbonising energy and transport.
IT | EIB grants Snam a EUR 264 million loan for grid integration of biomethane plants
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing the Italian gas infrastructure operator Snam S.p.A. with up to EUR 264 million for the expansion of the biomethane infrastructure in Italy; the first tranche of EUR 140 million was signed in July 2025. The plan is to build 240 km of new pipelines that will be able to feed up to 12,000 GWh (approx. 1.13 billion Nm³) of biomethane into the national gas grid each year - a key contribution to the target of 5 billion Nm³ of biomethane by 2030 in accordance with the Italian National Recovery Plan (NRRP) and REPowerEU. The project strengthens energy sovereignty and supports the switch to renewable gases.
IT | Biorig plans to invest EUR 300 million by 2030 to expand biomethane capacities
The Spanish Solarig subsidiary Biorig is investing over EUR 300 million in the expansion of biomethane production in Italy by 2030 and plans to build more than 20 plants with an annual production of around 1 TWh (90 million Nm³), enough for 360,000 households. The strategy combines the company's own developments with projects from local partners and aims to play a leading role in Europe's biomethane sector. The project is based on Italy's favourable regulatory framework and its focus on the circular economy and organic waste recycling.
ES | Redexis invests EUR 34 million in the construction of three biomethane plants in Aragon province
The Spanish gas infrastructure operator Redexis is investing over EUR 34 million in the construction of three biomethane plants in the Spanish region of Aragon - in Alcañiz, Cella (both in the province of Teruel) and Fraga (province of Huesca). The plants are scheduled to go into operation by 2027, producing biomethane from agricultural waste every year and feeding it into the existing gas grid. The nutrient-rich fermentation residue can be used as a by-product for agriculture. In addition, 27 direct and around 51 indirect jobs will be created.
IE | CycleØ and Gas Networks Ireland sign contract for biomethane grid connection
Irish utility Gas Networks Ireland and UK biogas plant company CycleØ have signed a co-operation agreement to accelerate the injection of biomethane into the Irish gas grid to support the government's target of 5.7 TWh of domestic biomethane by 2030. CycleØ is investing EUR 100 million in four agro-based biomethane plants in Limerick, Kildare, Cavan and Galway with a planned total production of 160 GWh - enough to heat 12,000 homes. The biomethane produced will be fermented from agricultural and industrial waste and fed directly into the grid, with nutrient-rich fertiliser as a by-product.
RO | DN AGRAR and BSOG Energy finalise construction of Romania's largest biomethane plant
Romanian agricultural and dairy company DN AGRAR and biomethane plant developer BSOG Energy have signed contracts to develop one of Romania's largest biomethane production plants in Alba. The plant is expected to produce up to 15 MW of biomethane from 2028 at the latest, fed from manure from DN AGRAR farms, with an investment volume of EUR 30 million and long-term supply contracts over 15 years. The aim is to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90% and utilise biomethane as a climate-friendly energy source as part of the sustainable growth strategy of both partners.
RO | Delgaz grid tests three pilot projects for the use of biomethane and green gases
Delgaz Grid, the Romanian subsidiary of the E.ON Group, is launching three pilot projects to feed biomethane and hydrogen into the gas grid. The BioMethaneMix project will test the feed-in of biomethane from sewage and industrial waste into a section of the gas grid from 2024; completion is planned for 2027. At the same time, BlendUp30 (2026-2028) and HyGrid100 are investigating grid operation with up to 100% hydrogen - initially in the test area, later in the real grid with H₂-compatible end devices. The aim is to prepare for an ‘H2-ready’ infrastructure and decarbonise the Romanian gas supply.
LV | Lithuania opens first public feed-in point for biomethane in Džūkste
Latvia's first publicly accessible biomethane feed-in station has been opened in Džūkste, which can feed up to 10 million Nm³ (100 GWh) of biomethane into the gas grid each year. The project, operated by Conexus and worth EUR 1.7 million (EUR 1.5 million of which is EU-funded), also enables smaller producers without a grid connection to feed in via a mass balancing system. Further central feed-in points in Rēzekne and Ragana are already being planned in order to gradually expand the national biomethane infrastructure.
LT | Klaipėda LNG terminal launches virtual biomethane liquefaction for mass balance offsetting
The Lithuanian LNG terminal operator KN Energies is introducing a mass-balance liquefaction service for biomethane at the Klaipėda LNG terminal (Lithuania) before the end of the current quarter - the first location in the region to do so. This will enable biomethane producers from Lithuania and Europe to integrate biomethane fed into the gas grid into the LNG logistics process and market it in liquefied form, for example for maritime transport. The project strengthens the competitiveness of the terminal and supports compliance with the EU requirements for renewable fuels that will apply from 2025.