The president of the European Biogas Association (EBA), Arthur Wellinger, has announced positive growth in the organisation during a speech at its fourth General Assembly held at the annual conference and exhibition of the German Biogas Association (Fachverband Biogas) in late January.
“Today EBA represents 30 national biogas associations from 22 countries and 28 of the most important companies working internationally in the field of biogas” Mr Wellinger said. “EBA covers therewith over 98% of all biogas plants in Europe.
This year will bring important legislative challenges for the biogas sector at both EU and national levels. The EU is presently constricting its sustainability criteria for biofuels and will eventually do likewise for solid and gaseous biomass. The expected end-of-waste status, i.e. product status, for digestate may very well bring new and substantial administrative burdens for operators in case digestate falls under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals). Furthermore, deployment of biogas plants is starting to stagnate in a number of biogas countries including Germany and the Czech Republic. This is mainly due to the reformed support schemes which are disadvantageous to the sector.
Elsewhere however, new positive feed-in tariffs have been introduced in Austria and the UK and Poland is expecting changes in its support scheme which might un-tap the country's huge biogas potential. Overall, EBA remains convinced that biogas will have a significant role to play in a decarbonised European energy sector and is committed to continue advocating strongly the interests of the European biogas industry at EU level while offering support to its members at national level.
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