Two studies from the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW) recently released indicate that the potential of biomethane and synthetic methane from biogas production in Germany could reach 300TWh per year by 2050.

Of the yearly 300 TWh planned, about a third would come from the production of biomethane by standard fermentation, compared to approximately 11 TWh at present; another third would stem from synthetic methane (from the thermochemical conversion of wood residues), while synthetic methane from the methanisation of green hydrogen with CO2 from biogas plants would make up the last third.

Three essential steps need to be implemented:

1/ Promotion of the conversion of biogas plants (generating electricity) to feed upgraded biogas into the gas grid

3/ Bundling of small and neighbouring biogas plants to a central gas processing plant to feed upgraded biogas into the grid

3/ Combination of the biogas plants with power-to-gas:  Use the CO2 contained in the biogas to convert it into synthetic methane using renewable hydrogen from electrolysis systems.

For further info, please see https://www.dvgw.de/der-dvgw/aktuelles/presse/presseinformationen/dvgw-presseinformation-vom-04022021-biomethanforschung