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50 min ago 3 min read
Europe’s biomethane sector added more than 1 billion cubic metre (bcm) of annual production capacity in a year and surpassed 8 bcm for the first time, up 17% on 2025, according to the European Biogas Association.
Yet despite growing investor confidence and rising political attention on energy security, the growth falls well behind its true acceleration potential.
Lucie Boost, Secretary General of Gas Infrastructure Europe, said, “Biomethane is becoming a strategic pillar of Europe’s energy transition. By making full use of existing gas infrastructure, we can connect production with demand across borders, strengthen Europe’s energy security and unlock the full potential of renewable gases.”
Investor appetite also remains strong, with investment commitments reaching €36bn ($41bn), up from €28bn ($32bn) last year, according to the Biomethane Investment Outlook.
This growing investment confidence underlines the sector’s significant acceleration potential, provided that the right regulatory conditions are put in place. If fully realised, these investments are expected to deliver 9 bcm per year of additional biomethane production capacity by 2030, strengthening Europe’s domestic energy supply and contributing to the EU’s decarbonisation objectives.
A Biomethane Map shows that the number of plants in Europe increased from 1,678 to 1,975 between the 2025 and 2026 data collection periods.
During that time, 327 new plants entered operation. As some plants also closed during the same period, the net increase is lower than the total number of new plants commissioned. Nevertheless, the figures point to continued momentum across the sector.
However growth remains uneven across the bloc. While national production is expected to rise significantly by 2030 in line with Member States’ targets, just five countries currently account for 95% of European biomethane production.
The concentration of production highlights both the success of leading markets and the untapped potential in Europe. According to a 2026 Guidehouse study, the EU-27’s potential stands at 31–32 bcm for 2030 and is projected to reach 163 to 184bcm by 2050.
The average biomethane plant size in Europe is 472 Nm³/h, though there is wide variation across the continent. France, despite its leadership in plant numbers, maintains smaller installations averaging 212 Nm³/h. In contrast, Italy (667 Nm³/h) and Germany (607 Nm³/h) operate larger facilities, contributing more to total capacity. Denmark (1,528 Nm³/h) also features fewer but significantly larger plants.
As businesses, policymakers and civil society come together during London Climate Action Week last week to accelerate the vision of an inclusive and resilient net-zero transition, around 90 global industry leaders called on the to unlock the full decarbonisation potential of renewable gaseous fuels.
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