President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law on the development of biomethane production in Ukraine (No. 5464), which was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada at the second reading on October 21. The corresponding note appeared on the page of the bill on the parliament’s website on Tuesday.According to the press service of the State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine, this law lays the foundation for the production and development of biomethane in Ukraine, as well as its export to the countries of the European Union.It is specified that for this purpose it is planned to introduce the appropriate terminology, the possibility of verifying purified biogas (biomethane), the physical and chemical characteristics of which must meet the requirements of regulatory legal acts for natural gas, issuing a guarantee of origin for the volume of biomethane produced, entering a register of production and consumption of biomethane.“Development of a register of production and use of biomethane and cooperation with similar registers of EU countries is a potential opportunity to sell biomethane to other countries, confirmed by a guarantee of origin,” the message reads.It notes that, in pursuance of the State Energy Efficiency Law, work has already begun on the development of a procedure for the functioning of the biomethane register.As reported, bill No. 5464 adopted by the Verkhovna Rada regulates the concept of “biomethane” as “biogas,” which in its physical and technical characteristics corresponds to the regulatory legal acts on natural gas for supply to gas distribution and transmission networks or for use as a motor fuel.In addition, the document provides for the creation of a biomethane register for accounting in the system, establishes the procedure for the formation of guarantees of origin of biomethane.According to the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine, the potential for biomethane production in Ukraine is 8 billion cubic meters annually, which corresponds to 25% of domestic gas consumption.According to Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Roman Leschenko, the development of biomethane production gives Ukraine every chance to become a center for its production and supply, as well as a source of energy security for Europe. Its use in production chains will allow Ukrainian farmers to obtain an alternative source of energy from waste and secondary products of their own production and, as a result, to use biomethane instead of natural gas for generating heat and electricity, as well as to use it as a fuel for transport and as a raw material for the chemical industry.
The sale of agricultural products and residues of its production for the operation of biogas plants can become a guarantor of the state’s energy security, the agricultural sector can significantly strengthen NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy from the point of view of energy independence. As reported on the website of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food on Tuesday with reference to Minister Roman Leshchenko, the adoption at the final reading bill No. 5464 on amendments to the law of Ukraine on alternative fuels regarding the development of biomethane production by the Verkhovna Rada last week gives Ukraine every chance to become a center for the production and supply of biomethane, as well as a source of energy security for Europe.
“In the conditions of very expensive energy resources – gas and electricity, not only food security, but also energy security is impossible without the agricultural sector,” Leshchenko said.
He said that the development of the biomethane market will allow Ukrainian farmers to obtain an alternative source of energy from waste and residues of their own production, and as a result, use biomethane instead of natural gas for the production of heat and electricity, as well as fuel for transport and raw materials for the chemical industry.
