1. Update - Biomethane Roadmap in Germany
Frank Hofmann
German Biogas association

2. Present situation - 1
After being Europe‘s most evolving market between 2007 and 2014, the market for biomethane is now stagnating in Germany
The Renewable Energy Sources Act („EEG 2014“) was amended last year with the result of lower Feed-in tariffs
There is no bonus for upgrading technology and no special tariff for energy crops anymore
Biomethane plants usually have biogas production at high volume rates which was mainly based on energy crops
The current biomethane production can continue for the duration of the feed-in tariff grant (20 years)
All project planning is on hold because the other markets (heat sector and use as fuel) are growing very slowly and are risky

3. Present situation - 2
Currently about 9,000 biogas plants in operation with a installed capacity of GWel
Estimation: About 200 new biogas plants in 2015: mainly small manure based plants (max. 75 kWel. and more than 80% manure in the input)
Decline in jobs: 44,000 (2014: 45,000 jobs)
Internationalization of the German Biogas/Biomethane industry is becoming more and more important
Main EU-markets are UK, Italy and France

4. Figures on Biomethane - 1
Currently about 190 feed-in plants in operation
about 180,000 Nm³/h inst. capacity (raw biogas)
80% of the biomethane from energy crops
2015: about 15 projects planned or under construction (many to be stopped)
range from 200 Nm³/h – Nm³/h for the inst. raw biogas capacity

5. Figures on Biomethane - 2
Prognosis 2015: 18

6. Figures on Biomethane - 3
80 % of the biomethane is used in CHP plants
10 % for heat and 10 % for fuel
119 biogas filling stations in operation and about further 170 filling stations offering a blend of biomethane and natural gas
Political goal:
2020: 6 billion Nm³/a
2030: 10 billion Nm³/a
“The political goals are not longer relevant”

7. Barriers
CHP sector
no sufficient compensation according to the Renewable Energy Sources Act
Heat market
sole heating applications are hardly subsidized (obligation to use in CHP due to higher CO2-reduction), except in the state of Baden-Württemberg
Fuel sector
stagnating CNG vehicles sales
new regime CO2-Quota bear many risks and uncertainties
lack of transparency at fuelling station totems
International Trade
Prohibitive national legislations
lack of EU-wide mass balance system

8. Drivers
Due to the barriers mentioned above, national drivers are rather scarce at the moment
Yet we are noticing a growing interest in German biomethane upgrade technology and cross-border trade from abroad

9. Perspectives of development
There is still a significant potential for development (e.g. organic household waste, manure…)
The future role of biomethane in the electricity sector will be to provide flexibility to the system (balance fluctuation from wind and solar energy)
The transportation sector has an immense potential. Political support needed
Independency of foreign gaseous sources might become a more important issue for the EU
Trend: Liquefaction of methane (and separation of pure CO2) => BIO-LNG

10. What‘s in the next future
The next reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act is coming up in 2016
Auctions are going to be introduced for all renewables by 2016 => first positions of the GBA
The government is currently revising the electricity market system as a whole and has announced to make major changes to the current design by 2016
(Fossil) CHP-legislation is under revise, possibly with a new momentum regarding CO2-saving and chances for biomethane
The THG-Quota in the fuel sector is to be implemented and proven in practice
International barriers need to be addressed in order to provide market uptake

11. Thank you for your attention!
Manuel Maciejczyk
Chief Operating Officer
German Biogas Association
+49 (0) – 76