The European Biogas Association (EBA) has published a new policy leaflet setting out what it describes as the key regulatory and administrative bottlenecks preventing the biogas and biomethane sector from scaling across Europe, alongside targeted recommendations for policymakers.
The document organises the barriers into five dimensions: permitting and planning, investment and market certainty, market integration, climate recognition and carbon accounting, and demand for biogases and co-products.
On permitting, the EBA says biogas projects currently cross six regulatory sectors — energy, waste, emissions, agriculture, water and construction — triggering overlapping permits and long lead times. It calls for a one-stop-shop covering all project needs, fully digital permitting procedures in line with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), and fast-track permitting for existing biogas plants upgrading to biomethane production or changing feedstocks.
The association argues that biomethane's strategic value is not reflected in Europe's regulatory frameworks, leaving investors without the long-term policy signals needed to commit capital. Among its recommendations are a renewable gas blending obligation at EU level, dedicated national biomethane strategies, and formal recognition of biomethane within EU energy security frameworks.
On market integration, the EBA highlights the lack of a harmonised framework for grid access as a barrier to biomethane producers, particularly smaller, decentralised operators. It calls for fast and consistent implementation of the EU Gas Package, harmonised connection rights with fair cost-sharing mechanisms, and recognition of virtual pipelines and mobile injection technologies. It also urges member states to accelerate national Guarantee of Origin registries compatible with the EU framework and to establish a single EU hub for cross-border Guarantee of Origin transfers.
The fourth dimension addresses what the EBA describes as uneven greenhouse gas accounting across EU frameworks. Avoided methane emissions, biogenic CO2 capture, and digestate replacing synthetic fertiliser are not consistently counted, the association says. It recommends harmonising GHG accounting across EU frameworks, recognising biomethane certificates in corporate accounting, and aligning corporate reporting frameworks including the GHG Protocol and SBTi. It also calls for a common carbon accounting methodology for biogenic CO2, along with sustainability and quality requirements and a traceability system.
On demand, the EBA says current EU frameworks do not provide enough recognition to unlock demand for biogases in transport, heating and industry. It wants binding renewable transport targets for bio-CNG and bio-LNG, an EU-wide definition of CO2-neutral fuels recognising biomethane, and dedicated categories for vehicles running on CO2-neutral fuels. In heating, it calls for biogas and biomethane to be included in building renovation strategies and for hybrid heating systems combining renewable electricity with renewable gas appliances to be promoted. It also recommends removing barriers between supply and demand for biogases and promoting Biomethane Purchase Agreements.
On co-products, the EBA pushes for clearer recognition of digestate as an organic fertiliser, reform of the Nitrates Directive to allow digestate to substitute synthetic fertilisers, and recognition of digestate application as a carbon farming activity. It also calls for CAP incentives for farmers adopting advanced bio-based fertilisers.
The leaflet includes a series of success stories from member states. Norway has introduced a national support scheme to increase the use of livestock manure in biogas production, targeting 30% of manure processed through biogas by 2035 with direct payments to farmers supplying manure.
Estonia has adopted a digital-first approach to environmental permitting through a centralised system known as KOTKAS. Italy has set a biomethane and biogas production target of 5.5 billion cubic metres by 2030 in its National Energy and Climate Plan.
Finland has allocated investment grants of €90 million for biogenic CO2 capture through a competitive tender, supporting projects with a capacity of at least 15,000 tonnes per year.
Germany covers 25% of grid connection costs for producers, with the grid operator covering the remaining 75% for plants within 10 kilometres, and guarantees injection availability of 96% of the time.
Portugal has coupled solar thermal systems with biomethane-fuelled gas boilers in social housing projects. France's ENGIE provides long-term biomethane off-take agreements of up to 10 years. Portugal's national transport fuel policy sets the share of advanced biofuels and biogas to rise from 2% to 10% of transport fuel consumption between 2026 and 2030.
