Using Gas Infrastructure for Biomethane

Gas infrastructure is essential and cost-effective for integrating biomethane into the EU’s future energy system.

Common Futures analysis for Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), shows how large shares of existing gas pipelines and underground storages capacity can be required to enable the high system value use of 100 bcm of biomethane in 2040.

This study uses the 2024 Ten Year Network Development Plan’s National Trends+ scenario, and a simplified analysis of 1-in-20 cold year for building heat demand, to evaluate the necessary pipeline and storage capacities for biomethane in the EU in 2040. 

Results show biomethane could cover around 40% of the EU’s grid mix, and that gas use in general will become increasingly peaky, with use in moments of low variable renewable production and low temperatures. Seasonal demand peaks—particularly for heating and power—mean storage withdrawal capacity becomes crucial, with 184 GW withdrawal capacity and 183 TWh storage volume required for biomethane alone in the analysed year. This would be 22% of the EU's total withdrawal capacity today, and 16% of current volume capacity. 

A regional archetype analysis reveals supply and demand are often mismatched in time and space, requiring strong inter-regional pipeline capacity, and high capacity to handle peak demand moments.

The grid connections and upgrades required to handle 100 bcm of biomethane in 2040 are estimated at €2.5 billion per year—vastly lower than electricity network costs, which are 40 times higher.

This study underlines the essential, cost-effective role of gas infrastructure in a decarbonised, integrated EU energy system.