Biomethane Roadmap
in Germany
Frank Hofmann
German Biogas Association
www.biosurf.eu
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Present situation - 1

Germany was Europe’s most evolving market 2007-2014; market growth for biomethane is now
slower

2014: Renewable Energy Sources Act („EEG”) was amended with the result of lower feed-in tariffs

Biomethane plants usually have biogas production at high volume rates which was mainly based on
energy crops  only some new plants

No bonus for upgrading technology, no special tariff for energy crops anymore

Current biomethane production can continue for the duration of the feed-in tariff grant (20 years)
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Some projects stopped because the other markets (heat sector and use as fuel) are growing very
slowly if at all
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Present situation - 2
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Currently about 9,000 biogas plants in operation with a installed capacity of 4.177 GWel

About 200 new biogas plants in 2015: mainly small manure based plants (max. 75 kWel and more
than 80% manure input)

Decline in jobs: 44,000 (2014: 45,000 jobs)

Internationalization of the German Biogas/Biomethane industry is becoming more and more
important

Main growing EU-markets are UK, Italy and France
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Figures on Biomethane - 1
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Currently about 190 feed-in plants in operation
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about 180,000 Nm³/h inst. capacity (raw biogas)

80% of the biomethane from energy crops

2015: about 15 projects started operation

range from 200 Nm³/h – 1.400 Nm³/h for the
installed raw biogas capacity
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Figures on Biomethane - 2
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Figures on Biomethane - 3
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80 % of the biomethane is used in CHP plants

10 % for heat and 10 % for fuel

About 120 biogas filling stations in operation; additional
about 170 filling stations offer a blend of biomethane and
natural gas

Political goal:
 2020: 6 billion Nm³/a
 2030: 10 billion Nm³/a
“The political goals are not longer relevant”
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Barriers
CHP sector

no sufficient compensation according to the Renewable Energy Sources Act
Heat market
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sole heating applications are hardly supported (obligation to use in CHP due to higher CO2reduction), except in the state of Baden-Württemberg
Fuel sector
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stagnating CNG vehicles sales

new CO2-Quota bears many risks and uncertainties

lack of transparency, price signs at fuelling station
International Trade

Prohibitive national legislations

lack of EU-wide mass balance system
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Drivers
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Due to the barriers mentioned above, national drivers are rather scarce at the moment

Yet: growing interest in German biomethane upgrade technology and cross-border trade
from abroad
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Perspectives of development
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There is still a significant potential for development (e.g. organic household waste, manure…)

The future role of biogas/biomethane in the electricity sector will be to provide flexibility to the
system (balance fluctuation from wind and solar energy)

The transportation sector is a huge potential for biomethane. More Renewables in transport
sector are needed but electrification is limited. Political support needed

Independency of foreign gaseous sources might become a more important issue for the EU

Trend: Liquefaction of methane (and separation of pure CO2)  BIO-LNG
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
What‘s next in the future
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The next reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act is coming up in 2016

Tender system is going to be introduced for all renewables with 2016 reform

The government is currently revising the electricity market system as a whole and has
announced to make major changes to the current design by 2016

(Fossil) CHP-legislation is under revision, possibly with a new momentum regarding CO2saving and chances for biomethane, also regarding future revision in 2018

THG-Quota in the fuel sector is to be implemented and proven in practice

International barriers need to be addressed in order to provide market uptake
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Thank you for your attention!
Frank Hofmann
Consultant International Affairs
German Biogas Association
Telefon +49 (0)30 27 58 179-18
[email protected]
www.biosurf.eu
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This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.