In Lithuania, sustainable agricultural technologies and solutions group, AUGA Group has announced that it has commenced the supply of biomethane aka renewable natural gas (RNG) through the natural gas system operated by the transmission system operator (TSO) Amber Grid UAB.
This green gas produced in Lithuania will be sold on the German market, which has Europe’s most developed biomethane infrastructure.
The project capacities of three biogas plants allow for the production of 61 GWh of RNG per annum which is sold to Tube Green UAB. The RNG is transmitted into the natural gas grid system using Tube Green’s injection point.
This opportunity to supply biomethane to the gas grid via a remote intake point not directly connected to the gas production facility only emerged at the end of 2023.
Although we have been able to start producing biomethane for some time, laws of the Republic of Lithuania did not envisage the supply of such gas through an intake point separate from the production facility. We are pleased that, as the result of long and steady work, we and other biomethane producers in the country now have the opportunity to produce green gas in regions where sufficient raw material demand can be ensured, and that the gas produced can later be successfully sold on the local or international market, said Kęstutis Juščius, Chair of the Board of AUGA Group.
New income source
According to Kęstutis Juščius, sustainable technologies, and products, like the production of biomethane from agricultural secondary raw materials, while requiring investments, can be successfully commercialized today and will ensure a new stable source of income for the AUGA Group.
Additionally, biomethane is one of the most advanced types of renewable energy and is an integral part of the circular economy business model that the Group is developing.
In the future, this green gas will be used in the AUGA M1 tractors developed by AUGA Group.
Recycling agricultural residues
The Group produces biomethane from secondary raw materials of livestock farming activities, namely cow slurry and chicken manure.
According to the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, the use of biomethane as an alternative to fossil fuels in the transport sector saves between 70 percent and 206 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the production, transmission, and use of the fuel.
Thus, when agricultural secondary raw materials are utilized effectively, the energy accumulated in them is not wasted but returned to the market in a more universal form, while generating additional income.
Contribute to European energy independence
The production and use of biomethane in varied sectors will contribute significantly to the energy independence of the European Union as a whole.
Under the RePowerEU plan approved by the European Commission, the aim is to increase biomethane production in the EU to 35 billion cubic metres (bcm) by 2030.
Potential demand for biomethane in Lithuania is boosted by the Alternative Fuels Law of the Republic of Lithuania, approved in 2021, which stipulates that by 2030 there should be at least a 15 percent share of energy from renewable sources in the country’s transport sector.
This includes emissions from agricultural vehicles (tractors) as these are attributed to the transport sector.
Biomethane can be used in a variety of sectors, like agriculture, transport, and industry. We see successful examples of its use in European countries. In Sweden, for instance, biomethane is primarily used instead of fossil fuels for cars and buses, while in Italy, it is used for heating and cooling. The biomethane map of the European Union produced by the European Biogas Association and Gas Infrastructure Europe shows that the number of biomethane plants in the EU has increased by almost 30 percent from 2021 to April 2023, which is a clear sign that demand for biomethane gas is growing significantly, Kęstutis Juščius said.
