Potential Benefits: Biomethane-imports from Ukraine

Biomethane is an important element on the path to climate neutrality — thus the demand is great in Germany. This paper describes the potential that lies in the German-Ukrainian biomethane coop­er­a­tion — and how existing hurdles can be overcome.

In both Ukraine and Germany, biomethane plays an important role in the efforts to achieve climate neutrality by the middle of the century.

Ukraine plans to bring biomethane plants with an annual produc­tion volume of at least eleven TWh into operation by 2030. The export of biomethane is a promising business model for Ukraine. The country has set itself the goal of supplying the EU with climate-friendly elec­tricity and gases, including biomethane, in the long term.
Demand is high in the EU and espe­cially in Germany. The German market is estimated to have a biomethane demand potential of up to 102 TWh in 2030 and up to 331 TWh in 2050.

However, both in Ukraine and in Germany, there are currently still hurdles on the way to a successful and sustain­able German-Ukrainian biomethane coop­er­a­tion. These range from invest­ment risks in Ukraine to regu­la­tory issues in Germany.

The LibMod Policy Paper “Potential Benefits: Struc­turing German-Ukrainian Coop­er­a­tion in the Biomethane Sector” by Ann-Kristin Golz (Senior Manager Public Affairs, Zukunft Gas), Oleksii Romanov (Director, IMEPOWER) and Ruslan Delidon (Director, Pro-Energy LLC) describes:

• The potential for biomethane demand and fields of use in Germany
• Ukraine’s export potential
• Regu­la­tory hurdles in Germany and Ukraine and their specific solutions
• And invest­ment require­ments and financing mechanisms

The authors encourage stake­holders in Ukraine and Germany to seek discus­sions, explore oppor­tu­ni­ties for coop­er­a­tion and initiate trade-relations.