Newsletter July 2026
English version
Welcome to the latest issue of the Biogaspartner Newsletter—an information service provided by the German Energy Agency (dena) focusing on biomethane. This newsletter includes updates on EnviTec’s first biomethane plant in Estonia, a report by Anew Climate on the GHG Amendment, and new network data on bio-CNG refueling from ReFuels.
For more information on the Biogas Partnership project and our partners, please visit www.biogaspartner.de
GENERATION
Call for Entries: The Best Innovations for Climate-Neutral Gases 2026
The industry associations BDEW, DVGW, and “Die Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft” are calling for entries for the “New Gases Innovation Award 2026,” which recognizes forward-looking projects related to climate-neutral gases such as biomethane. Companies, startups, and research institutions can submit their projects in the categories of production, transportation, and infrastructure, as well as application technologies, free of charge by July 31, 2026.
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Strategic Transformation: EnviTec Biogas Annual Shareholders’ Meeting Approves Realignment
On July 3, 2026, the annual shareholders’ meeting of EnviTec Biogas AG resolved to suspend the dividend for the 2025 fiscal year in order to free up funds for an accelerated transformation. The plant builder and
operator plans to invest approximately 100 million euros between 2026 and 2029 to gradually shift its own production from electricity generation to the direct injection of biomethane. This move responds to the foreseeable phase-out of older EEG subsidies and anticipates the sharp rise in biomethane demand resulting from the new national heating legislation. The company emphasizes that the German market can easily supply the gas volumes needed in the future, provided that the regulatory framework for grid connections offers sufficient planning certainty.
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Bioenergy Expansion Target: A Slight Increase, a Major Setback for the Industry
The industry is criticizing the slight increase in the bioenergy expansion target to 9.5 GW by 2030 as a step backward, since the planned tender volume will cause biogas production to drop by 70% and tenders for highly flexible biomethane combined heat and power plants are being eliminated. The industry warns that the degressive tender volumes (1,000 MW in 2027/28, 750 MW in 2029/30, 500 MW in 2031/32) will jeopardize security of supply and result in a loss of agricultural value creation. Rigid operating hour limits and barely adjusted corn production caps exacerbate the economic barriers, while large fossil fuel power plants are given preferential treatment.
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EU-wide Capacity Expansion: EBA Reports New Milestone in Biomethane Production
According to official data from the European Biogas Association (EBA), European biomethane production capacity has exceeded the 8 billion cubic meter per year threshold for the first time. During the reporting period, 327 new processing plants were commissioned across Europe, bringing the total number of active production sites to 1,975. While France leads the rankings in terms of sheer number of plants, Denmark, Germany, and Italy have significantly higher average production capacities per site. To achieve the REPowerEU target of 35 billion cubic meters by 2030, the EBA is pushing for a drastic simplification of permitting procedures and improved grid access.
Methane Leakage as a Safety Risk: German Environmental Aid Criticizes Leakage in German Power Generation Facilities
A report published by Deutsche Umwelthilfe reveals that nearly three-quarters of the digestate storage facilities and gas storage facilities examined in Germany exhibit significant leaks and technical defects. This uncontrolled methane leakage severely undermines the climate policy benefits of biomethane as an energy source, as the escaping gas has a far greater greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide. The environmental organization cites a systematic failure of enforcement by regulatory authorities and calls for stricter, metrologically sound inspections instead of the purely odor-based guidelines set forth in the TA Luft (Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control). For producers, this means increasing pressure to invest in modern exhaust gas aftertreatment systems and gas-tight covers to ensure the long-term acceptance of biomethane as an energy source.
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MOBILITY
Realignment of the Quota Market: GHG Amendment Provides Long-Term Planning Certainty for Biomethane
Anew Climate reports on the official adoption of the amended GHG quota, which marks the beginning of a new phase of development for the German fuel market. The legislation mandates an ambitious reduction target of up to 65 percent by 2040 while simultaneously eliminating the previous double counting for advanced biofuels. As compensation, the sub-quota for advanced feedstocks will be gradually raised to 9 percent by 2040, which significantly boosts the economic attractiveness of biomethane produced from waste materials. This provides fuel station operators and investors with a more stable environment protected against fraud and a reliable foundation for expanding the bio-CNG and bio-LNG infrastructure.
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Market Success in the Heavy-Duty Segment: ReFuels Reports Rising Bio-CNG Sales
ReFuels N.V., Europe’s leading decarbonization service provider, has released its operational network data for the month of June. A total of 5,695 metric tons of bio-CNG was dispensed to heavy-duty commercial vehicles at the 16 public fast-fill stations, representing a 9 percent increase compared to June of the previous year. The average daily fleet refueled rose to a record high of 2,263 trucks, underscoring the growing role of biomethane as an immediately available bridge technology in long-haul transportation. Thanks to long-term supply and certificate hedges (RTFCs), the company enjoys a high degree of economic planning certainty for the current fiscal year.
Maritime Transport Embraces Green Gas: Cruise Industry Association CLIA Signs Joint Biomethane Declaration
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the global representative body for the cruise industry, has officially joined the European “Joint Biomethane Declaration.” The ceremonial signing at the European Biogas Association (EBA) underscores that the maritime sector also views liquefied biomethane as an essential building block for achieving global net-zero goals. The association is calling on European governments to remove bureaucratic hurdles to cross-border certification and to provide targeted incentives for grid access at seaports. The partnership underscores the enormous industrial demand for sustainable bio-LNG beyond traditional land-based transportation modes.
HEAT
Economic Cost Risk: Fraunhofer Study Dampens Expectations for Biomethane in the Heating Market
A recent brief study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Applied Materials Research (IFAM) warns of drastic price increases for consumers using biomethane in gas heating systems. Since biomethane remains a scarce and expensive commodity, the projected fuel costs far exceed what private households are willing to pay. In addition, the increasing shift of customers toward heat pumps is leading to lower grid utilization, which burdens the remaining users with massively rising grid fees. The researchers therefore assess the statutory “bio-step” as a potentially uneconomical path that could lead to far-reaching misinvestments in heating system retrofits.
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INTERNATIONAL
EE | Expanding into New Markets: EnviTec Biogas Commissions First Biomethane Plant in Estonia
German plant manufacturer EnviTec Biogas AG announced the successful commissioning of its first combined processing plant in Estonia. Built in cooperation with its Estonian partner Halinga OÜ in the Pärnumaa district, the project uses state-of-the-art hollow-fiber membranes to convert digestate and manure into transportable biomethane. The plant feeds approximately 199 GWh of green gas into the national pipeline network annually, which is mathematically sufficient to operate a fleet of over 6,000 trucks in a CO₂-neutral manner. With this project, the Lower Saxony-based company is strengthening its global market presence in Eastern Europe for sustainable fuel production.
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U.S. | Verbio Significantly Raises Forecast – Record Biomethane Production
The biofuel company Verbio has raised its EBITDA forecast for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, from the previous range of 100–140 million euros to 160–180 million euros. The main drivers are a favorable ethanol market environment and high capacity utilization at its production facilities, particularly the ongoing ramp-up phase of the biomethane plant in Nevada; a second U.S. site in Indiana is set to follow in 2026. At the same time, Verbio is investing approximately 100 million euros in a new ethenolysis plant in Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, which is expected to supply bio-based molecules to the chemical industry starting in the second half of 2026.
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PT | First Milestone: Biomethane Guarantees of Origin for Mobility in Portugal Canceled
G3 | Go Green Gas (a biomethane-based mobility company) has become the first provider in Portugal to decommission biomethane Guarantees of Origin (GOs) for the mobility sector that are registered on the EEGO portal. This step enhances the transparency and traceability of the renewable gas market and promotes biomethane as a sustainable solution for the decarbonization of road transport. The electronic certificates verify the renewable origin of the gas and help companies demonstrate compliance with their sustainability strategies.
ES | Greening Launches Biomethane Platform in Spain
Greening a global renewable energy company, has launched a biomethane platform to accelerate the development and implementation of renewable gas projects in Spain. This platform is intended to serve as a central point of contact for stakeholders and to drive the scaling up of biomethane projects. This is an important step toward promoting the use of renewable energy in the region and supporting the integration of biomethane into the national energy grid.
BR | H2A Bioenergia Invests $570 Million in 22 New Biomethane Plants
Brazilian biogas developer H2A Bioenergia is moving forward with 22 new biomethane plants nationwide, financed with approximately 2.9 billion Brazilian reais (about $570 million) over the next five years. The plants are expected to produce approximately 800,000 m³ of biomethane daily from swine, cattle, and poultry manure, which is intended primarily to replace fossil diesel in heavy-duty transportation. The project is based on the company’s first ANP-certified biomethane plant in Santa Catarina; it aims to turn agricultural waste into a new source of income for producers.
IT | First Gas Injection in Italy: Axpo Begins Operations at Biomethane Plant in Grottole
The Swiss energy company Axpo has announced the successful first injection of biomethane from its plant in Grottole, southern Italy, into the Italian national gas grid. The biomethane, produced from local agricultural byproducts, will supply approximately 45 gigawatt-hours of energy annually following a six-month ramp-up phase, which is enough to meet the energy needs of about 3,200 households. In addition to annual CO₂ savings of approximately 9,000 metric tons, the project offers a high degree of economic stability, as a long-term purchase agreement has already been signed for direct supply to the Italian paper mill Cartiere del Garda.