Germany to remove “regulatory hurdles” to increase domestic biogas production
Germany is intending to focus on developing more biogas production to enhance domestic energy supplies, according to Dr Patrick Graichen, state secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
Speaking to ENERGIETAGE in a live interview on 24 August, Graichen outlined the foundations of the German federal government's crisis strategy, and announced several new initiatives.
He spoke of a three-pronged strategy: replacement procurement, substitution and the saving of gas. Although "all three are already in full swing", further major efforts are required.
Further savings targets would be prepared for vulnerable customers, prior to major industrial consumers being switched off.
Graichen said he expected an 18- to 24-month phase of high prices in the energy sector, with market prices anticipating that Nord Stream 1 will not resume operation following its "maintenance".
The potential for gas substitution through a three-month extended operation of the three remaining nuclear power plants is estimated to be low, and so domestic biogas should be prioritised.
Therefore, Graichen said the government would take legislative action as part of an amendment to the Energy Security Act and remove regulatory hurdles to stimulate increased domestic production.
Utility association BDEW welcomed the announcement to remove existing barriers to the "as yet untapped potential."
Increasing the production and use of biomethane will "not only help us to quickly become independent of gas imports from Russia, but is also an essential building block for rapid greenhouse gas reduction," said the lobby group, which estimates that 100 terawatt hours of biomethane per year could be produced in Germany and fed into the gas grid by 2030 - about a fifth of the Russian gas consumed by Germany last year.
Speaking to ENERGIETAGE in a live interview on 24 August, Graichen outlined the foundations of the German federal government's crisis strategy, and announced several new initiatives.
He spoke of a three-pronged strategy: replacement procurement, substitution and the saving of gas. Although "all three are already in full swing", further major efforts are required.
Further savings targets would be prepared for vulnerable customers, prior to major industrial consumers being switched off.
Graichen said he expected an 18- to 24-month phase of high prices in the energy sector, with market prices anticipating that Nord Stream 1 will not resume operation following its "maintenance".
The potential for gas substitution through a three-month extended operation of the three remaining nuclear power plants is estimated to be low, and so domestic biogas should be prioritised.
Therefore, Graichen said the government would take legislative action as part of an amendment to the Energy Security Act and remove regulatory hurdles to stimulate increased domestic production.
Utility association BDEW welcomed the announcement to remove existing barriers to the "as yet untapped potential."
Increasing the production and use of biomethane will "not only help us to quickly become independent of gas imports from Russia, but is also an essential building block for rapid greenhouse gas reduction," said the lobby group, which estimates that 100 terawatt hours of biomethane per year could be produced in Germany and fed into the gas grid by 2030 - about a fifth of the Russian gas consumed by Germany last year.
