Biomethane Offtakers Declaration for a Clean Industrial Deal
A call for sustainable biomethane use in Europe
organisations that have signed
sectors represented
About the Declaration
The Biomethane Offtakers Declaration advocates for a Clean Industrial Deal that accelerates both the production and offtake of biomethane, empowering the European economy to decarbonize while maintaining its global competitiveness.
Biomethane is a cost-effective, renewable gas sourced and produced within Europe using European technologies. Its large sustainable potential plays a pivotal role in achieving climate neutrality and supports a broader transition to cleaner industrial processes.
Biogases are already leading the renewable gas sector in Europe and, with the right conditions, can continue to do so in the future. As such, they deserve focused attention. Supporting the rollout of biogases means investing in Europe’s competitiveness, energy security, and environmental sustainability.
This initiative builds on the momentum of the 2021 Biomethane Declaration, led by the European Biogas Association (EBA), which was instrumental in securing the ambitious target in REPowerEU to produce 35 bcm of biomethane per year by 2030, with further increases in production projected toward 2050.
Today, we expand our focus beyond production, highlighting the essential role of biomethane offtakers in driving Europe’s climate and energy objectives, while ensuring the continent remains competitive in the evolving Clean Industrial Deal.
The Biomethane Offtakers Declaration
We, the undersigned companies and industries, reaffirm our commitment to support Europe’s transition to climate neutrality by 2050. The European Commission’s net-zero target requires a profound transformation of our energy systems, driven by renewable energy, infrastructure development, and new market opportunities. Sustainable biomethane is a vital component of this transformation, providing both defossilisation solutions and enhanced energy security.
Biomethane must play a critical role in forging Europe’s new Clean Industrial Deal. This renewable gas offers Europe the opportunity to move away from fossil fuels while maintaining industrial competitiveness. As underlined by Draghi’s Report, Europe’s global competitiveness depends on our ability to secure sustainable and competitive energy sources, and biomethane, produced locally with European technology, is one such scalable and reliable resource.
The Role of Biomethane
Biomethane stands out as Europe’s most scalable and cost-effective renewable gas. Already today, the biogases sector produces 22 bcm of combined biogas and biomethane, volume comparable to the 7% of all EU gas consumption. The growing commitment from our sector, with a total of 27 billion EUR allocated to invest in biomethane production by 2030 are a good signal for the growth of the sector. According to estimates, Europe can sustainably produce at least 151 bcm annually by 2050, using sustainable practices without competing with food or feed production. This potential can be further expanded by tapping into novel feedstocks such as crops on marginal lands and technological advancements like hydrothermal gasification or methanation.
Biomethane is also instrumental in reducing GHG emissions, contributing directly to the EU’s “Fit for 55” objectives. Beyond defossilisation of industry, maritime and road transport and the residential sector, it addresses emissions from agriculture and waste management, thus tackling multiple sources of pollution. As the Draghi Report emphasises, the availability of competitive and sustainable energy sources will be key to maintain Europe’s industrial leadership while reducing dependency on external resources and critical raw materials.
Key Priorities for Accelerating Biomethane Deployment
To realise the full potential of biomethane, we call for the following actions:
1. Establish Long-Term Targets and Supportive Frameworks
- Introduce binding targets for biogases1 production in 2040 and 2050 to provide clarity and drive defossilisation efforts.
- Ensure swift implementation of EU regulations concerning biomethane to secure harmonised application (in particular of the RED).
- Ensure the energy taxation framework duly recognises biomethane’s positive environmental impact.
- Promote financial incentives to upgrade existing biogas facilities into more efficient biomethane plants, maximising production.
- Facilitate permitting for medium and large-scale biomethane plants through a European Overriding Public Interest designation, simplifying processes and accelerating deployment.
- Establish a Biomethane Bank to support new projects, for instance ensuring long-term Biomethane Purchasing Agreements (BPAs), and strengthen connections between producers and industrial offtakers.
1 Biogases include among others biogas, biomethane, biohydrogen, syngas from gasification of organic matter and e-methane from methanation processes sourcing bio-CO2.
2. Enable Market-Driven Solutions
- Recognise Guarantees of Origin and sustainability certificates within European and international GHG emissions reporting frameworks.
- Remove administrative and market barriers to corporate BPAs, allowing offtakers, such as industries, transport and heating, to transition to renewable gases with greater ease.
- Ensure a well-functioning internal market for renewable gases removing technical barriers to EU cross-border trade.
3. Ensure Political and Institutional Support
- Develop a comprehensive inventory of the European biomethane market to assess its export potential and promote international cooperation.
- Increase staffing at the European Commission to prioritise biomethane initiatives.
Our Commitment
We, as major (potential) offtakers of biomethane, are committed to collaborating with policymakers and the biomethane supply chain to ensure the sustainable production, rapid scale-up and adoption of biomethane across Europe. By addressing the actions outlined in this Declaration, we will significantly contribute to Europe’s defossilisation goals, strengthen energy security, and foster sustainable development as part of Europe’s competitive future.
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