Reviewed by Vincent Crausaz, Business Developer · Updated May 2026
Switzerland · Home MarketSwiss Biomethane —
Regulatory status reviewed: April 2026
Swiss Biomethane —
Pronovo
Pronovo acts as the Swiss destination registry for GoOs and connects to both the AIB and ERGaR hubs for cross-border renewable gas certificate transfers. Naturemade Star is the premium ecological label for renewable gas. BioGem Express, headquartered in Zürich since 2020 and a member of VUE, supports Swiss clients with cross-border GoO transfers.
2025Pronovo system launched 1 January — biomethane GoO since
0Energy crops permitted — waste & residue feedstocks only (BAZG/OZD list)
9EU source countries eligible via AIB/ERGaR hub (Pronovo, June 2025)
Understanding the Swiss market
Why Switzerland is a major import biomethane market
Switzerland is a major importer of biomethane, with domestic production covering only part of demand. Swiss utilities have been pioneers in Europe at incorporating biomethane into their fossil gas share in the heating segment market. Under the principles of the Swiss gas associations (VSG) and the Swiss Customs Administration positive list (BAZG/OZD), only biomethane from waste- and residue-based feedstocks is allowed, under Swiss sustainability frameworks.
Pronovo is the national registry under mandates from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE/BFE). The SFOE/BFE is responsible for energy regulations, renewable energy support schemes and supervision of the Swiss GoO renewable gas framework. From 1 January 2025, Pronovo covers Guarantees of Origin for biomethane, liquid biofuels, hydrogen, and SAF. Swiss and European biomethane GoOs are valid for 18 months from the date of issuance.
Naturemade Star serves as a premium renewable energy label, administered by VUE (Verein für umweltgerechte Energie). Its rules are explicit: methane leakage capped at 1%, no GMOs, ISO 14001 or EMAS for plants over 30 employees within 5 years, and a strict waste-only feedstock policy aligned with the federal Swiss Customs Directorate (OZD/BAZG) positive list.
The BAZG/OZD positive list — what feedstocks qualify
The Swiss Customs Directorate (OZD/BAZG) maintains a positive list defining which biogenic substrates can be used to produce biomethane compliant with the Swiss market.
European registries by hub connectivity — ERGaR & AIB (Pronovo, June 2025)
| Country | Registry name | ERGaR | AIB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | AGCS (ERGaR) / E-Control (AIB) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Belgium | Brugel (AIB) / Vreg / SPW Energie | ✓ | |
| Czech Republic | OTE | ✓ | |
| Denmark | Energinet | ✓ | |
| Finland | Gas Grid Finland | ✓ | |
| France | EEX Biogas Register | ✓ | |
| Germany | Dena | ✓ | |
| Hungary | MEKH | ✓ | |
| Ireland | Gas Networks Ireland | ✓ | |
| Italy | Gestore Servizi Energetici (GSE) | ✓ | |
| Latvia | Conexus Baltic Grid | ✓ | |
| Lithuania | AB Amber Grid (exports) | ✓ | |
| Netherlands | VertiCer | ✓ | ✓* |
| Portugal | REN | ✓ | |
| Switzerland | Pronovo | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spain | Enagas GTS | ✓ | |
| Sweden | Green Gas Certification Sweden | ✓ | |
| UK | GGCS | ✓ |
Swiss biomethane at a glanceFederal registrySubstrates allowedSubstrates excludedGoO validityCross-border imports
Pronovo SA (100% Swissgrid; OFEN-supervised)
Waste & residue only according to the BAZG/OZD list
Energy crops
18 months from issuance date
From AIB and ERGaR hubs
How it works
How European biomethane reaches the Swiss market
Three steps connect a European producer’s output to a Swiss voluntary market claim.
01
Sourced from an EU producer
The biomethane is produced using feedstock that complies with the Swiss BAZG/OZD positive list, or is classified as waste or residue in the country of origin. If the batch is covered by a valid Proof of Sustainability (PoS) that aligns with Swiss requirements, it can directly enter the Swiss market. If no such PoS is available, the batch — including its feedstock — must be individually assessed and audited against the BAZG/OZD criteria by an approved auditor before being accepted.
02
Grid injection and registry transfer via AIB hub or ERGaR
The European producer injects biomethane into the gas grid via the local Distribution System Operator (DSO), after which it is transported through the Transmission System Operator (TSO) network. Metering and operational data from the injection are recorded and transmitted to the national registry in the country of origin. Based on this verified data, the registry issues the corresponding Guarantees of Origin (GoO) to the producer’s account. The producer then transfers these GoOs to BioGem Express, which subsequently transfers them to Pronovo via the ERGaR or AIB hub, enabling cross-border certificate transfers.
03
Cancelled by the Swiss buyer
The buyer cancels the GoO in the Pronovo registry, linking the certificate to a final Swiss consumption claim.
Operational pillars
Four pillars of Swiss biomethane market
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Pronovo registry & CC system
Pronovo is the federal accredited certification body. Since 1 January 2025, Pronovo covers biomethane, liquid biofuels, hydrogen, and SAF GoOs. Validity is 18 months from date of issuance. Pronovo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Swissgrid, supervised by OFEN, employing approximately 80 staff in Frick, Aargau.
⭐
Naturemade Star ecological criteria
Operated by the VUE since 1999, Naturemade Star certifies a small ecological footprint from substrate delivery through grid injection. Criteria: methane leakage ≤ 1%, no GMOs, ISO 14001 or EMAS environmental management for plants over 30 employees within 5 years, compliance with Swiss Clean Air and Noise Control Ordinances. Plants and products are certified separately to prevent over-claiming.
🚫
OZD positive list — feedstock rules
The Swiss Customs Directorate (OZD/BAZG) maintains the positive list defining eligible substrates. Category A admitted by default; categories B and C require specific evidence.
🌐
AIB hub & ERGaR import pathways
Swiss biomethane imports can enter through AIB or ERGaR registry pathways, depending on the exporting country and registry structure. Imported biomethane must be connected to the European gas grid and comply with the Swiss gas association (VSG/ASIG) principles a) and b) and BAZG/OZD positive list.
Our role
Switzerland is our home market
BioGem Express AG was founded in 2020, a Swiss AG headquartered at Zähringerstrasse 26 in Zürich, with a second Swiss office in Lausanne and a Benelux office in Haarlem. We celebrated five years in Zürich in September 2025. As a member of VUE — the body behind the Naturemade Star label — and ISCC-certified, we operate at the centre of the Swiss biomethane market: connecting European producers to Swiss buyers under the rules that actually apply here.
Switzerland’s strictness creates a market premium for the producers who can deliver to it. Our role: source waste and residue-based volumes from European producers, transfer through the AIB hub or ERGaR import path, coordinate Pronovo registry transfers and cancellations, and where ecological credentials are required, structure supply that qualifies under Naturemade Star.
“Switzerland sets the bar high — no energy crops, ecological footprint scrutiny, methane leakage caps. That’s why our home market is also where we structure the cleanest supply chains. The buyers here expect proof, not promises.”
Marcel Hüberli — Head of Sales, BioGem Express
- Sourcing of waste and residue-based biomethane from European producers aligned with the Swiss requirement (BAZG/OZD positive list, waste and residue in the country of origin)
- Pronovo registry coordination — issuance, transfer, cancellation
- AIB hub and ERGaR import from European producers
- Naturemade Star supply structuring for buyers requiring premium ecological credentials (district heating, municipal, ESG-driven)
- VUE membership and ISCC certification — verifiable credentials, not declarative claims
FAQ
Key questions on Swiss biomethane
Switzerland operates a biomethane framework in which only waste and residue feedstocks qualify under the federal Swiss Customs Directorate (OZD/BAZG) positive list. Energy crops are not eligible under this system. The market is predominantly import-based, as domestic production remains limited, making Switzerland one of Europe’s larger buyers of cross-border biomethane volumes. The national registry is administered by Pronovo, which since 1 January 2025 manages the system for biomethane Guarantees of Origin. Naturemade Star, operated by the VUE since 1999, is a voluntary label with strict ecological standards.
Naturemade Star is a premium ecological certification label for renewable energy, operated by the Verein für umweltgerechte Energie (VUE), founded 1999 and a partner of SwissEnergy. For biomethane, it certifies plants and products separately, ensuring that only as much certified biomethane is sold as has been produced. Its core criteria are strict: no energy crops permitted, methane leakage capped at 1% of methane content, GMOs prohibited, and ISO 14001 or EMAS environmental management required for plants over 30 employees within five years.
Pronovo SA is Switzerland’s national registry for Guarantees of Origin and renewable energy support programmes. A wholly owned subsidiary of Swissgrid based in Frick, Aargau, Pronovo is supervised by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (OFEN). Its mandate dates from the 2017 revised energy law, in force since 1 January 2018. From 1 January 2025, Pronovo covers biomethane, liquid biofuels, hydrogen, and SAF Guarantees of Origin. Swiss and European biomethane GoOs are valid for 18 months from the date of issuance and can be transferred multiple times before cancellation.
Switzerland can import biomethane certificates via both the AIB and ERGaR transfer systems. Since joining the AIB Gas Scheme Group (GSG) in June 2025, Pronovo has enabled GoO imports via the AIB hub from connected registries, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. In parallel, volumes can also be supplied via the ERGaR scheme, meaning transfers are not limited to AIB-connected countries but extend to all registries participating in both transfer systems. In all cases, the biomethane must be injected into the European gas grid, and certificate transfers must comply with applicable sustainability and Swiss regulatory requirements.
Energy crops are explicitly excluded. Under the BAZG/OZD positive list, only biogenic residue and waste qualify — defined as material that does not compete with food and feed production. Substances in OZD positive list category A are admitted by default; categories B and C require specific evidence.
BioGem Express is a Swiss-based biomethane trading company headquartered in Zürich and operating since 2020, with a second office in Lausanne and a Benelux office in Haarlem. We source waste and residue-based biomethane from European producers, deliver through the AIB hub or ERGaR import path, and deliver volumes that meet VSG principles a) and b) as well as compliance with the BAZG/OZD positive list. For buyers seeking premium ecological credentials, we structure supply to qualify under Naturemade Star, for example.
Referenced sources
Sources used on this page
This page draws on Pronovo’s official documentation of the CC system and AIB hub mechanics, Naturemade’s biogas certification rules, and the federal Swiss energy regulatory framework operationalised since 2018.
Key data used here: Pronovo CC system launched 1 January 2025, 18-month GoO validity, and nine EU source countries via the AIB hub since June 2025 from pronovo.ch; Naturemade Star criteria including methane leakage ≤ 1%, energy crop exclusion, ISO 14001/EMAS for plants over 30 employees from naturemade.ch; VUE founded 1999 as the operating body of Naturemade; OZD positive list categories A/B/C defining substrate eligibility; and the Pronovo legal basis in the 2017 revised energy law in force from 1 January 2018, with the OGOCC and OMCC ordinances forming the CC system framework.
Federal registryPronovo SA — CC System & AIB Hub Imports
Pronovo SA. Source for the CC system mechanics (launched 1 January 2025), 18-month validity, nine eligible EU source countries via the AIB hub (Gas Scheme Group membership since June 2025), and the OGOCC / OMCC regulatory framework.
Premium labelNaturemade Star — Biogas Certification
VUE / naturemade.ch. Source for Naturemade Star biogas criteria including substrate rules, the 1% methane leakage cap, ISO 14001 / EMAS requirement, plant and product certification logic, and import rules requiring physical European gas grid connection.
EU grid mass-balance basisDelegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640
European Commission, 2023. Codifies the EU interconnected gas grid as a unified mass-balance system, enabling cross-border biomethane traceability without physical segregation.
VUEVerein für umweltgerechte Energie (VUE)
VUE. The Swiss association behind the Naturemade label, founded 1999 in Zürich, partner of SwissEnergy. Operates the certification regime for renewable electricity, biogas, and heat.
Federal mandatePronovo — Company & Legal Mandate
Pronovo SA. Source for Pronovo’s status as a 100% subsidiary of Swissgrid, OFEN supervision, the 2017 revised energy law (in force 1 January 2018), and the federal mandate covering GoOs, support programmes, and network supplement.
EU certificationISCC EU — Voluntary Scheme
ISCC System GmbH. The recognised RED voluntary scheme for biomethane sustainability certification, used by Swiss-bound producers to qualify under both EU compliance and Swiss feedstock rules.
Cross-borderAssociation of Issuing Bodies (AIB)
Association of Issuing Bodies. Operator of the European EECS framework and the AIB hub through which Pronovo (Gas Scheme Group member since June 2025) imports biomethane GoOs from nine eligible EU source countries.
Explore further
Related certification & trading frameworks
Europe · Voluntary disclosure
Guarantees of Origin
The book-and-claim certificate standard underpinning Pronovo’s Swiss CC system and the AIB hub cross-border transfers.
Ready to source certified biomethane for the Swiss market?
Our team structures Swiss-compliant biomethane supply across Pronovo, from ERGaR and the AIB hub — from waste and residue-based feedstocks through European grid injection to registry cancellation by consumer group. Whether you need standard Swiss CC GoO coverage or premium Naturemade Star credentials, we deliver volumes with documentation that holds up to Swiss compliance.
