EU Biomethane –
Cross-border

Biomethane is a renewable gas produced by upgrading biogas derived from organic waste, agricultural residues, manure, energy crops and other biomass feedstocks to a quality comparable to natural gas. It can be injected into existing gas grids and used for heating, power generation, industrial processes or transport. In biomethane markets, the gas is typically accompanied by environmental attributes and sustainability documentation such as Guarantees of Origin (GoO) and Proofs of Sustainability (PoS).

Biomethane is injected into the national gas grid at the production site, then tracked through mass-balance accounting as volumes move across the pan-European network. Certificates — Guarantees of Origin — are transferred through interconnected national registries via the ERGaR/AIB hubs, and PoS through Nabisy and/or in the future through the EU Union Database, which is currently being progressively rolled out across Member States. A buyer in Germany can source certified biomethane from a Danish or French producer without the molecules physically travelling to the delivery point: the physical gas and the legal title are intentionally decoupled by the mass-balance mechanism.

A Guarantee of Origin (GoO) certifies that a gas volume is renewable under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and operates on a book-and-claim basis: the certificate transfers separately from the physical gas, enabling buyers to claim a green gas share without direct connection to the production site. GoOs are the standard instrument for voluntary and compliance markets. A Proof of Sustainability (PoS) certifies that the biomethane meets RED feedstock eligibility and GHG reduction thresholds, linked to mass-balance traceability throughout the supply chain. PoS issued under recognised voluntary schemes such as ISCC or REDcert is required for BEHG, EU ETS, and FuelEU Maritime compliance.

Denmark leads Europe in biomethane grid penetration, with biomethane representing approximately 40% of national gas demand by 2024 according to the IEA, supported by around 7,428 GWh of annual production capacity (Panorama Gaz Renouvelables, end-2023). France has the highest number of biomethane plants by count — 731 installations as of end-2024 — making it the largest market by infrastructure breadth. Germany, with over 258 active production sites, is the continent’s largest net importer of certified biomethane, drawing cross-border volumes from Danish, Dutch, and other EU producers through ERGaR-connected registries. Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are significant emerging producer markets contributing growing volumes to the pan-European grid. Europe counted over 1,500 biomethane production sites across its main producing countries as of end-2023, with capacity additions continuing through subsidy frameworks and long-term offtake agreements.

BioGem Express is a Swiss-based biomethane trading company operating across European regulated and voluntary markets since 2020, headquartered in Zürich with offices in Lausanne and Haarlem. We source biomethane from verified EU producers across Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Germany, managing the full certificate transfer workflow — from registry issuance and cross-border AIB/ERGaR transfers to final delivery with the GoO or PoS documentation your compliance team requires. For buyers navigating BEHG, EU ETS, or FuelEU Maritime obligations, we structure the appropriate Proof of Sustainability pathway and ensure mass-balance traceability is maintained across the entire supply chain. We also support biomethane producers seeking reliable long-term offtake — structuring Biomethane Purchase Agreements across Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and broader European markets, and connecting certified supply volumes to industrial buyers and energy companies who require both regulatory-grade and voluntary-grade certification.