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42 min ago 2 min read
German energy major Uniper is looking at potential biomethane production and export in Türkiye alongside a local waste-to-energy firm.
The memorandum of understanding signed with Biotrend Enerji will see the firms explore converting Biotrend’s existing waste-based biogas plants to produce biomethane, with an estimated potential of 1.4TWh of biomethane each year.
The biomethane could be injected into the Turkish gas grid, transported towards Greece or Bulgaria and imported into the EU, subject to the necessary Turkish and European regulatory approvals and certifications.
Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper, said biomethane could deliver a reliable and competitive option for the reduction of European industry emissions.
This builds on Uniper’s efforts to diversify its supply portfolio, with future biomethane supplies from three of Spain’s largest biomethane plants in Murcia.
The company operates an integrated biomethane-to-bio-LNG supply chain using its at the gate terminal in Rotterdam.
Hakan Göral, Group CEO of Doğanlar Holding, Biotrend’s parent company, noted, “Biomethane offers significant potential to transform Türkiye’s waste and biogas resources into a higher-value renewable gas source.”
Türkiye’s biomethane potential
It comes as Türkiye looks to make greater use of domestic energy resources and Europe looks at growing its renewable energy supply.
Türkiye has the to produce up to 10 billion cubic metres (bcm) of renewable biomethane per year by 2040 if existing biogas and landfill gas facilities are upgraded, according to a report by Biyoyatder (Biomethanization and Organic Waste Processing Plants Investors Association).
The country currently operates 101 biogas facilities and 97 landfill gas plants. Biyoyatder projects that upgrades could see biomethane production reach 3 bcm by 2030, 5 bcm by 2035 and 10 bcm by 2040.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently said European member states must on biomethane and homegrown clean energy.
