The European Renewable Gas Registry (ERGaR aisbl) welcomes the European Green Deal and is ready to contribute to reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
ERGaR is fully convinced that renewable gases, including biomethane as the current green gas available in the market, offer a unique set of benefits and constitute a key tool to support the EU energy transition with genuinely resource-efficient and circular economy. We are striving to help developing a reliable EU biomethane and renewable gases market by creating an independent, transparent and trustworthy administrative system facilitating cross-border transactions of biomethane by means of green certificates.
While biomethane can decouple the EU energy systems from fossil fuels, it helps to avoid methane emissions, e.g. by being produced from waste and residual streams of organic materials. Biomethane provides additional and diversified revenue for farmers as they can replace fossil gas with on-site produced biogas and use the remaining digestate as organic fertilisers. Additionally, the use of biomethane in the transport sector (bio-CNG and bio-LNG) reduces pollutant emissions, such as nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide, especially for the maritime, heavy-duty and public transport. Finally, biomethane is also key to decarbonise the heating sector, as it is compatible with existing gas boilers, the power sector, by filling the gap when intermittent renewable energy does not deliver sufficient electricity, and energy intensive industries, particularly where processes rely on fossil fuels and cannot be electrified.
In line with the European Green Deal, ERGaR foresees a holistic approach to green the EU economy. It is illustrated by our active participation in joint European efforts to strengthen the renewable gases market and act as facilitator for cross-border transfer in Europe: the CEN 16325 standardisation to develop a European standard for renewable gas Guarantees of Origin, the REGATRACE project to set up new biomethane registries and a trade platform, and the ENTSOG/GIE prime mover process to give advice to the European Commission on future European gas legislation on Guarantees of Origin for renewable and low-carbon gases.
Note to editor
The European Renewable Gas Registry (ERGaR aisbl) is an international non-profit organisation aiming at enabling cross-border transfers of green certificates for biomethane and renewable gases.
Amongst its 24 members, ERGaR counts renewable gas registries, renewable gas industry associations, gas DSOs/TSOs and natural gas industry partners.
ERGaR is currently establishing an independent, transparent and trustworthy documentation scheme for mass balancing of biomethane (biogas upgraded to natural gas quality) and other renewable gases distributed along the European gas network. Thanks to the experience of national registries, the documentation system will enable cross-border transfer of certificates for renewable gases via the European natural gas network while preventing double sale and double counting.
Press contact
Should you require any further information, please contact Flore Belin, ERGaR Assistant Secretary General by email (belin@ergar.org) or phone (+32 470 56 20 64).
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