About the BIP Task Forces
The work of the Biomethane Industrial Partnership is structured in six Task Forces in which members collaborate at expert level on specific topics on the basis of the partnership’s Work Programme. Task Forces work on specific pre-defined actions and create deliverables that help to achieve the goal of the partnership. All EU policy makers, Member State representatives, companies active in biomethane and other stakeholders that wish to actively contribute and be involved to achieving the goal of the Partnership can sign up for Task Force membership. The following six Task Forces have been created:
The goal of Task Force 1 is to provide EU Member States with useful insights and guidelines to develop national biomethane targets, strategies and policies. The main emphasis of Task Force 1 currently lies in communicating biomethane related actions and national targets by 2030 in the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) for 2023-2030. This is facilitated by knowledge sharing between Member States. The aim is to create a network of biomethane related civil servants that would benefit from collective capacity, leverage, and insight to propose a comprehensive set of measures to accelerate the national sustainable biomethane potential deployment.
Task Force 2 works to identify and scale up best practices, initiate creative solutions and overcome barriers to speed up investments in new biomethane projects across the value chain. As part of its work, the Task Force works to develop best practices on how to accelerate biomethane project development and investments and permitting procedures. The Task Force is also focused on exploring the emerging market for biogenic CO2, assessing the use of biodegradable plastics in biomethane plants, investigating biomethane supply chain security, and compiling a report on digestate. Additional topics covered by the Task Force are an evaluation of logistical solutions for biomethane production in locations far from gas grids and an exploration of best practices for connecting biomethane plants to gas grids across the EU.
Task Force 3 assesses the sustainable potential for innovative biomass sources to produce biomethane. A significant effort is required to collect sustainable biomass feedstock to feed additional biomethane production installations. As part of its work, this Task Force focuses on assessing the EU-wide potential for sustainable rotational/sequential cropping to produce biomethane feedstock and for feedstock production on marginal and contaminated land. Other topics covered by the Task Force are assessing carbon budget, soil nutrient, water and biodiversity implications of rotational/sequential cropping and potentials of additional innovative sustainable biomethane feedstocks, including wastes and residues.
Task Force 4 identifies and facilitates ways to decrease the cost of production and grid connection. Biomethane can contribute to a cost-effective energy transition and while scaling up biomethane, efforts to further drive down production costs can enable continued growth. Topics covered by this Task Force include optimizing the business case for biomethane production through the valorization of biogenic CO2 and digestate as co-products, and a business case analysis on e-methane production. Additionally, it intends to explore strategies to minimize technology and operational costs associated with biomethane production, and reduce costs related to biomethane grid injection and necessary grid reinforcement, including reverse flow technology and grid extensions.
Task Force 5 identifies the current status of R, D&I in biomethane production. Continuous research, development and innovation (R, D&I) are important for future growth and to increase Europe’s strategic autonomy in green technology. Topics covered by this Task Force include assessing innovative thermochemical, biochemical/electrochemical and biological technologies for biomethane production, improving digestate valorization and enhancing methanation technology to facilitate the valorisation of biogenic CO2, as well as the integrated production of biomethane and green hydrogen.
Task force 6 was established as a result of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EU and Ukraine on a Strategic Partnership on Renewable Gases, including biomethane, hydrogen and other synthetic gases. Task force 6 works to contribute to unlock biomethane production in Ukraine, contributing to reduce dependency on fossil fuel imports from Russia and building stronger energy cooperation between the EU and Ukraine. Task Force 6 works to incorporate best practices to identify regulatory barriers, facilitate the establishment of a competitive and transparent cross-border market, promote pilot projects and foster the necessary economies of scale for widespread adoption of biomethane in Ukraine.