Ukraine can cover 20% of EU's biomethane needs - ministry

MOSCOW. Oct 27 (Interfax) - Ukraine could potentially provide up to 20% of the European Union's biomethane needs, Ukrainian Deputy Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Vitaly Golovnya said.

"In terms of biomethane production, Ukraine can compete with any country and offer the lowest-cost raw materials. Ukraine has the largest area of agricultural land in Europe and, accordingly, one of the best potentials in the world for the production of biomethane," Ukrainian media quoted Golovnya as saying in a statement circulated by the ministry's press service said.

The EU plans to raise the production of biomethane to 35 billion cubic meters per year by 2030, and Ukraine can potentially provide up to 20% of these needs, he said.

The energy potential of biomass in Ukraine is more than 25 million tonnes of oil equivalent per year, Golovnya said. Furthermore, biomethane and biogas plants also produce digestate, which can become the main organic fertilizer required for soil regeneration.

"Using the bioenergy potential of the agricultural sector and the processing industry will contribute to the decentralization of the energy system and reliable energy supply of communities. It will also increase the income of agricultural producers due to additional profit from the sale or use of residues and the production of high-quality organic fertilizer. In general, it will strengthen the energy security of the country," Golovnya said.

As reported, the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry expects Ukrainian companies to be able to produce up to 1 bcm of biomethane in 2030, and 16 bcm in 2050.

In addition, a group of Ukrainian MPs registered a bill in the Verkhovna Rada in July of this year, proposing Customs Code amendments to facilitate customs control and clearance of biomethane transported by pipeline across the customs border of Ukraine.

Transmission System Operator of Ukraine LLC has received applications from more than ten companies that are considering building 31 biomethane plants in Ukraine with capacity of 225 million cubic meters a year, GTSOU general director Dmitry Lippa said.