Ukraine can replace imported natural gas in the volume of up to 10 billion m3 per year thanks to the development of biomethane production by 2030.
In order to achieve such energy independence, hundreds of biogas plants will have to be built, which local farmers are interested in, Oleksandr Haydu, a member of the Verkhovna Rada's Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy, reports on Facebook.
He emphasized that the number of biomethane plants in Europe has increased 10 times in 10 years. In Ukraine, 5 biomethane plants are to be built in 2023 and at least 5 more in 2024.
It is noted that renewable biomethane gas is produced from food industry waste, plant and animal husbandry. In Ukraine, the largest amount of biomethane can be generated from grain straw and corn stalks, which are usually left in the fields after harvest.
Hajdu emphasized that Ukraine has the largest area of agricultural land in Europe, and therefore a significant potential for biogas production. If more fuel is produced, it can be exported to the EU using existing gas pipelines.
"This is very promising, because Europe wants to abandon the use of natural gas, particularly Russian gas, by 2050," he added. - Our agrarian committee is interested in the development of biomethane production, so we are working on relevant draft laws. We hope for support from our colleagues on the Energy Committee.”
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen signed a memorandum on strategic partnership in the field of renewable gases, namely hydrogen and biomethane.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, the Regional Gas Company (RGC) issued technical conditions for connecting the biomethane plant of Hals Agro LLC in the Chernihiv region and ordered the production of gas equipment for it at one of the RGC Production plants.
