Date / Heure
25/05/2023
16 h 30 min - 18 h 30 min

Thursday 25 May – 16h30-18-30 – European Committee of the Regions (Brussels).

In December 2021, the European Commission presented the « gas package » with the objective of « facilitating the progression of renewable and low-carbon gases in the energy system, allowing these new gases to substitute natural gas ». Regarding biomethane in particular, Ursula von der Leyen recently announced a production target of 35 billion m³ by 2030, which is to be made operational when the European Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII) is recast. In addition, the Commission has launched the Biomethane Industrial Partnership (BIP), which proposes a framework between the different stakeholders to support European biomethane production. The European Council agreed to develop biogas in the Versailles Declaration adopted on 11 March 2022. However, a strategic vision, long-term adaptation planning and clear production targets are missing for both biogas and syngas as well as for biomethane.

In addition, regulatory and economic barriers to the successful development of renewable gases remain. First of all, the European regulatory framework still needs to be completed, whether it concerns the mobilization of the various identified sources, the revision of the « gas package », the implementation of agro-ecological transition contracts at the European level, the deployment of biogas in areas such as heavy mobility, or the unequal competition between organic fertilizers and their mineral counterparts. Secondly, major investments are required, with the costs of installing biomethane production infrastructures alone estimated at 80 billion euros, which must be facilitated and supported through investment grants, which are still non-existent.

The potential of renewable gases in the future European energy mix is therefore enormous, but the European Union has yet to adopt an adaptation strategy and concrete production targets, and to eliminate existing obstacles. Confrontations Europe will organize a  conference allowing for exchanges between industrialists, political decision-makers and researchers in order to propose solutions to the problems surrounding the place of green gas in the European energy mix.

Around the following panelists :

• Catherine Banet, CERRE Research Fellow, Oslo University
• Giulia Cancian, Secretary General, European Biogas Association
• Emmanuelle Ledoux, Director General, Institut National de l’Economie Circulaire
• Laurence Poirier-Dietz, CEO, GRDF
• Aleksandra Tomczak, Member of Cabinet of the Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans
• Augustijn Van Haastern, Team Leader in charge of Decarbonisation and Sustainability of Energy Sources, DG ENER, European Commission

INSCRIPTION (mandatory)

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in French & English.