8% of gas consumed in EU by 2030 should be biomethane, says new policy paper
A new policy paper by the Gas for Climate consortium has been published, providing an analysis-based rationale on why an 11% renewable gas target is needed to meet the EU’s climate goals.
The paper follows last year’s Gas for Climate Gas Decarbonisation Pathways 2020-2050 report, which showed how additional policy measures are needed to scale-up biomethane and green & blue hydrogen, which are all needed to meet the EU’s climate targets.
To ensure a consistent market ramp-up of green hydrogen and biomethane across the EU, the envisioned 11% target is supported by two binding sub-targets for green hydrogen and biomethane. At least 8% of the gas consumed in the EU by 2030 should be biomethane, and at least 3% should be green hydrogen.
These sub-targets reflect that biomethane is commercially available today and scalable in a sustainable manner, while green hydrogen should ramp-up during the 2020s, too. The 3% hydrogen target aligns with the European Commission’s target for at least 40 GW of electrolyser capacity in the EU.
A binding target for renewable gas will help to reduce the production costs of biomethane and green hydrogen during the 2020s, while in the long-term help to achieve the European decarbonisation targets at the lowest societal costs. Gas for Climate foresees that an EU-wide target of renewable gas would be translated into differentiated national targets.
The paper follows last year’s Gas for Climate Gas Decarbonisation Pathways 2020-2050 report, which showed how additional policy measures are needed to scale-up biomethane and green & blue hydrogen, which are all needed to meet the EU’s climate targets.
To ensure a consistent market ramp-up of green hydrogen and biomethane across the EU, the envisioned 11% target is supported by two binding sub-targets for green hydrogen and biomethane. At least 8% of the gas consumed in the EU by 2030 should be biomethane, and at least 3% should be green hydrogen.
These sub-targets reflect that biomethane is commercially available today and scalable in a sustainable manner, while green hydrogen should ramp-up during the 2020s, too. The 3% hydrogen target aligns with the European Commission’s target for at least 40 GW of electrolyser capacity in the EU.
A binding target for renewable gas will help to reduce the production costs of biomethane and green hydrogen during the 2020s, while in the long-term help to achieve the European decarbonisation targets at the lowest societal costs. Gas for Climate foresees that an EU-wide target of renewable gas would be translated into differentiated national targets.
