Rest of Europe should follow our footsteps

In October, the European Commission presented an EU strategy to reduce methane emissions. The European gas industry welcomed the strategy and expressed their full support for the need to accelerate methane emissions reductions.

This is not a new topic for the industry or Gasum, as for years we have been successfully working to reduce methane emissions by implementing effective technologies and practices through mandatory and voluntary programs.

Management and reduction of methane emissions across the gas value chain is among the top priorities for the gas industry to contribute to the EU’s climate targets and to ensure that gas will have a role to play for the years to come.

The strategy takes a holistic approach, covering not only the energy sector, but also agriculture and waste sectors with the aim to have an inclusive approach towards methane and to better exploit the synergies between various sectors. This is essential, as 53 per cent of methane emissions in the EU come from agriculture, 26 per cent from waste and 19 per cent from energy.

Biogas and biomethane are given a significant role in the strategy – and rightly so! The strategy concretely highlights that biogas and biomethane are a key part of the solution to reduce methane emissions.

“Especially in the agriculture sector significant emissions can be avoided, when methane emitting feedstock, such as manure, is brought to the closed and controlled environment of a biogas plant. This enables us to capture and utilize the methane instead of it being naturally released into the atmosphere during manure storage.”

• Juha Ala-Huikku, Public Affairs Manager

Sweden has for years been a true front-runner in steering manure and other agricultural feedstocks into biogas production and the Finnish government is planning to launch a subsidy-scheme to achieve the same positive results. It is an absolute pleasure to see the rest of Europe follow our footsteps and recognize the true potential of biogas and biomethane in achieving EU’s climate goals.

The writer is Public Affairs Manager at Gasum.

3.12.2020