EBA “deeply concerned” at exclusion of biogas from Net Zero Industry Act

On 20 September, the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment (ENVI) adopted its Opinion on the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), a milestone legislation to foster EU-based manufacturing of clean technologies.
The European Biogas Association (EBA) said it is deeply concerned by the ENVI Committee’s decision to exclude “sustainable biogas and biomethane technologies” from the scope of the Act.
The EBA said that this move is contrary to the strategic role of biogas and biomethane in a sustainable, secure and resilient energy mix for the coming years and decades, as recognised in the European Commission's REPowerEU Plan.
It added that biogas and biomethane technologies do meet the requirements for "strategic net-zero technologies" based on the Commission's proposal:
Technological readiness
Biogas' main production pathway (anaerobic digestion) is a mature technology (TRL 9). There are more than 18,000 biogas plants and 1,320 biomethane plants operating today. Combined production capacity exceeds 200 TWh, which is the equivalent of Belgium's gas consumption.
Contribution to decarbonisation and competitiveness
In 2020, combined biogas and biomethane production saved the equivalent to GHG emissions of Portugal (60 Mt CO2eq emissions). Biogases can replace up to 20% of natural gas imports by 2030. The European biogas industry is already a world leader and an exporter to other regions of the world.
Security of supply risks
The European biogas industry covers the supply chain of production technologies. The sector does not create new dependencies on third countries. Instead, it contributes to energy and technological security.
"Sustainable biogas and biomethane are a local, made-in Europe and cost-competitive renewable alternative to oil and natural gas, representing a key solution in the low-carbon transition of EU industries," added the EBA.
"The vote of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 25 October is an opportunity to recognise the strategic role of biogases in the NZIA," it concluded.