As the European Union charts its path toward the 2040 Climate Targets, the European Biogas Association (EBA) has unveiled its strategic vision for biogases as a cornerstone of a sustainable, circular, and resilient energy system. This follows the release of the REPowerEU Roadmap on May 6, 2025, which recognised the strategic importance of biogases in the energy mix.
Representing the full biogases value chain, EBA is urging the European Commission to adopt a binding target of 100 billion cubic meters (bcm) of biogases by 2040, recognising its vital role in delivering energy security, emissions reductions, and economic development.
The biogases value chain stands ready to deliver circular, affordable, and secure energy for Europe. A binding 2040 target, backed by political vision and coordination across Member States, is key to unlocking Europe’s own sizeable circular opportunities, said Harmen Dekker, CEO of the European Biogas Association (EBA).
The biogases value chain, encompassing biogas and biomethane production and use, as well as organic fertilisers and biogenic carbon dioxide (bioCO2) utilization, is uniquely positioned to contribute across three interlinked circular pathways:
- Renewable energy: With a sustainable production potential of 101 bcm by 2040 and 151 bcm by 2050, biogases can significantly reduce fossil gas dependency in industry, heating, and transport while enhancing grid flexibility and balancing intermittent renewables.
- Organic fertilisers: Derived from digestate, organic fertilisers restore soil health and replace carbon-intensive synthetic alternatives, supporting the EU’s agricultural and environmental goals.
- Biogenic carbon dioxide: The production of biogases can capture and reuse up to 89 million tonnes of bioCO2 by 2040, decarbonizing sectors reliant on fossil-derived CO2, such as food, beverage, and industrial manufacturing.
European Biogases Charter: a blueprint for action
Despite this transformative potential, the biogases sector remains underrecognized in EU energy and climate policies.
To address this, EBA proposes the establishment of a European Biogases Charter by 2025, developed in partnership with the European Commission and Member States, as a roadmap to scale biogases deployment and align efforts across the value chain.
The Charter would establish a shared vision and enabling conditions for growth, including:
- National Pledges for Biogases to outline specific deployment actions and targets;
- Accelerated permitting and harmonised regulatory processes;
Market design reforms to ensure long-term investment stability and reward environmental benefits; - Boost infrastructure and production capacity for timely scale-up;
Recognition of circular economy value, from fertilisers to decarbonised CO₂; - Strategic cooperation between EU institutions, Member States, and the biogases sector;
- Appointment of National Biogases Coordinators to guide and oversee implementation.
Long-term vision and support for a growing sector
Currently providing 22 bcm of biogases, equal to 7 percent of the EU’s natural gas consumption in 2023, the biogases sector is growing rapidly.
Over EUR 27 billion in private investment has already been committed to expand biomethane capacity by 2030.
However, EBA points out that this pace still falls short of the EU’s full sustainable potential. Meeting the proposed 100 bcm target by 2040 would:
- Avoid over 483 million tonnes of CO2 per year
- Provide energy for over 90 million European households year-round
- Provide over 13,8 million tonnes of homegrown organic fertiliser
EBA calls on the European Commission to formally endorse a 100 bcm biogases target for 2040 and support the launch of the European Biogases Charter by 2025. These steps would recognise biogases as a strategic asset for the EU’s energy transition.
