Saving and replacing natural gas is the answer to the imminent gas shortage in Europe. According to the study, Europe has a huge potential to save on natural gas, especially when it concerns using less gas for heating. Moreover, heat can be produced by renewable energy sources, such as solar collectors or wood pellets.

Methane, the main constituent of natural gas, is also an important element in gases produced from biomass. Bio-methane must be adapted to the level of today's natural gas quality, but that is technically feasible. Sweden and Switzerland already have biogas facilities, which have been supplying the gas infrastructure for years now. Recently two biogas facilities were connected to the natural gas network in Germany.

Implementation of a biogas feed-in law could stimulate more biogas use. The report concludes that for natural gas to be replaced by 2020, biogas would have to get connection to the natural gas network and furthermore it would be necessary for biogas to get priority for admission and transmission through this network. The report recommends that the German Erneuerbare Energien Gesätz (Renewable Energy Law) should serve as a model for a European biogas feed-in strategy.

More information:

First part and second part of the study ‘Möglichkeiten einer Europäischen Biogaseinspeisungsstrategie’ in pdf (both in German).