Newsletter March 2026
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 provides information on, amongst other things, the Biogasrat+ e.V.’s call to retain the double counting scheme for advanced renewable fuels, the expansion of further heating networks for biomethane, and the current debate surrounding the Building Modernisation Act.
Further information on the Biogaspartner project and our partners can be found at www.biogaspartner.de
NEWS
GENERATION
Balance Erneuerbare Energien plans to expand into biogas processing
In the Oberlommatzsch district of the municipality of Diera-Zehren, an existing biogas plant is to be expanded into a site capable of feeding biomethane into the grid and featuring additional photovoltaic capacity. The plan is to significantly increase the plant’s output and feed the processed biomethane into the gas grid in future. The seven-figure investment is driven by the expected rise in demand for renewable gases in the wake of energy policy debates. The project is based on a new development plan that creates greater construction flexibility on the site and continues to allow the use of regional biomass.
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New biomethane plant in Bohmte
PHW subsidiary NDEnergie has commissioned a new biomethane plant in Bohmte, near Osnabrück, which primarily uses farm manure such as solid manure and slurry and produces around 80 million kWh of biomethane annually, which is fed into the natural gas grid. A distinctive feature of the biomethane plant is that it is completely self-sufficient in terms of energy: its electricity and heat requirements are met by its own combined heat and power plant with a thermal output of 2.9 MW, as well as a 950 kWp photovoltaic system.
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MOBILITY
Biogasrat+ renews call to maintain double counting for advanced renewable fuels
Biogasrat+ e.V. is calling for the continuation of double counting for advanced biofuels such as bio-LNG and bio-CNG from Europe within the framework of the GHG quota. These products, produced from residues and waste materials, offer significant GHG savings, create jobs and strengthen security of supply. Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the association emphasises their role in independent transport logistics. The association is committed to planning and investment security in order to fully exploit domestic biomethane potential.
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Iveco Germany CEO promotes bio-LNG as an alternative to fully electric powertrains
Rising diesel prices and the shift towards alternative powertrains are once again drawing greater attention to LNG in long-haul transport, particularly bio-LNG. Iveco Germany CEO Christian Sulser emphasises that bio-LNG is currently available at almost all LNG filling stations in Germany and is priced significantly lower than diesel and other alternative propulsion options. Pricing and fixed-price contracts are linked more to stable production costs and GHG quota values than to volatile international gas markets, which offers freight forwarders additional certainty in their calculations. Against this backdrop, Iveco is positioning bio-LNG as a rapidly scalable option that can simultaneously address cost and CO₂ targets in long-haul transport.
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HEAT
Biomethane: between potential and the policy framework
The current debate surrounding the Building Modernisation Act (GMG) is bringing biomethane more firmly into focus as a potential building block. Whilst studies take a critical view of the planned instruments – such as the ‘Bio-Staircase’ from 2029 and the green gas quota starting in 2028 – in terms of their climate impact, the bioenergy sector emphasises the availability of sufficient domestic biomethane supplies. Short-term demand therefore appears manageable, whilst additional potential is seen in existing plants and residual materials in the long term. At the same time, industry associations point to regulatory uncertainties that could currently be holding back expansion.
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Sindelfingen commissions a biomethane-based district heating network
A methanation plant has been commissioned in Sindelfingen which processes raw biogas from the digestion plant in Leonberg into biomethane with a purity of over 97% and feeds it into the public gas network. Around 40,000 MWh of energy is generated annually, whilst at the same time approximately 5,000 tonnes of captured CO₂ of food-grade quality is utilised as a valuable resource. The plant is part of an inter-municipal joint project that utilises biowaste as a resource and makes use of existing gas infrastructure for renewable energy sources. A total of around €54 million is being invested in the digestion plant and biogas processing, which, according to project figures, will save around 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually.
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Green gas for Nördlingen: Expansion of the gas network for biomethane
By extending the right-of-way agreement, the town of Nördlingen and Schwaben Netz are investing in a gas network that, in addition to biomethane as a renewable gas, will eventually also be able to transport hydrogen. A large proportion of the distribution networks is already considered suitable for hydrogen, meaning that renewable gases can be gradually integrated into the existing system. Alongside hydrogen, biomethane is set to play a role as a climate-friendly energy source for industry, commerce and households. In this way, the gas infrastructure remains a central component of the region’s evolving energy supply.
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INTERNATIONAL
IT | Plenitude signs a 15-year biomethane supply contract with Methagora
Plenitude, the renewable energy and electric vehicle charging infrastructure company founded by Eni, and Methagora, which is dedicated to supporting and developing agricultural methanisation and biomethane, have signed a 15-year contract securing the supply of 50 GWh of biomethane annually from French agricultural regions. Methagora is supporting the conversion of existing biogas plants to feed-in through innovative technology such as purification systems and compressors. The partnership is based on the French Biomethane Production Certificates system and aims to promote the expansion of the biomethane market. Both companies are thus strengthening their position in the field of certified, regional green energy.
IT | Andion CH4 secures €24 million biomethane project in Modena
Andion CH4 Renewables, a European renewable energy company, has secured €24 million in funding for the construction of a biomethane production plant in Mirandola. The plant is set to produce around 44 GWh of liquefied biomethane annually from agricultural waste such as manure through anaerobic digestion, processing more than 70,000 tonnes of raw materials from the region. A long-term off-take agreement with the SOL Group secures the marketing of the biomethane, whilst construction has already begun under Italy’s biomethane support programme. Production is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2026.
UK | A milestone for Cadent: over 1.5 billion m³ of biomethane fed into the gas network for the first time
Since 2013, Cadent, the UK’s largest gas network operator, has fed over 1.5 billion m³ of biomethane into its network – enough to heat 1.5 million homes for a year or take 750,000 cars off the road for a year. Currently, 47 biomethane plants are connected to the network, but Cadent aims to increase capacity fivefold by 2035. A new cost model is now set to accelerate the expansion by distributing infrastructure costs more fairly, thereby enabling more projects.
UK | 38 applications for the construction or expansion of biomethane plants
In the UK, 38 applications for the construction or expansion of biomethane plants have been submitted to Cadent, the UK’s largest gas network operator: a record level of interest under the new cost-sharing scheme. Eastern England and the East Midlands in particular are emerging as hotspots for renewable gas production. The high number of applications signals confidence not only in the technology, but also in the new model, which shares infrastructure costs and thus accelerates projects.
UK | Avenir LNG and Maersk sign contract for the supply of bio-LNG from 2027
Avenir LNG, a provider of LNG bunkering vessels, will supply bio-LNG to the Danish logistics and shipping company Maersk for its dual-fuel container ships from 2027. The framework agreement was signed in the second half of 2025, with the first deliveries scheduled to coincide with the arrival of the first time-chartered vessels. Avenir operates five LNG bunkering vessels and has two more under construction to make alternative fuels available worldwide. The agreement supports Maersk’s strategy to reduce emissions through the use of low-emission fuels.
BR | ANP issues regulations on national biomethane targets and the issuance of certificates of origin
The Brazilian National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) has, through Resolutions 995/2026 and 996/2026, established rules for the National Decarbonisation Programme for natural gas producers and importers. The regulations define certification processes, deadlines and penalties for non-compliance, including the suspension of operations. This creates a market-oriented framework for biomethane as a decarbonisation tool.
NO | 6,000 composite cylinders for Nordic biogas mobility
Hexagon Agility, a business unit of Hexagon Composites specialising in clean fuel solutions for commercial vehicles and gas transport, and Processkontroll Green Technology, a provider of infrastructure for green energy gases in Scandinavia, are celebrating a milestone with the delivery of their 6,000th composite cylinder. The high-pressure cylinders, made from carbon fibre, serve as mobile gas distribution units and make biomethane usable even where there are no fixed gas pipelines. What makes them special is their combination of low weight, high pressure resistance and the ability to transport energy flexibly via virtual pipelines. In this way, the systems support the use of biomethane at filling stations, bus depots, in industry and for other applications across Scandinavia.
ES | Bio-LNG bunker vessel off Spain’s southern coast
The energy group Axpo, in collaboration with the Spanish group Enagás, has commissioned the liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker vessel ‘Alisios LNG’ in the port of Huelva. With a capacity of 12,500 m³, it supplies ships along the southern Iberian coast with both LNG and bio-LNG. With this vessel, the company is responding to the growing demand for lower-emission propulsion systems in shipping and aims to make a significant contribution to CO₂ reduction by 2030.
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