FAQ: BioLNG and bioCNG

Yes, provided the requirements of the certification scheme are met, biomethane injected into the grid can be accounted for as bioLNG liquefied elsewhere, applying the mass balance principle, but the conditions must comply with EU regulations and the certification scheme.

Physically the gas mixes in the grid, so settlement is based on documents: biomethane is fed into the system, and a quantity corresponding to the renewable fuel can be assigned to the liquefied gas at the customer, if the whole chain is covered by the same scheme and balance. Mass balance in the gas grid is permitted by EU law, but the rules on tracing and avoiding double counting must be met, and the data goes to the EU Union Database. In detail, the requirements result from implementing acts and certification schemes.

Sources: Dyrektywa (UE) 2023/2413 (RED III) — EUR-Lex; Komisja Europejska: Union Database for Biofuels — materiały szkoleniowe

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Yes, LNG-powered vehicles can run on bioLNG without technical changes, because both fuels have the same chemical composition and the difference concerns only origin.

LNG lorries have cryogenic tanks and gas engines that do not distinguish the source of the methane. For the haulier, what is key is that the fuel has a sustainability certificate and that the supplier can document the carbon footprint; this document counts when reporting emissions to customers. It should be remembered, however, that the EU CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles are based on tailpipe emissions, so the use of bioLNG does not change the vehicle's classification under those standards. Support and incentives result from other regulations, e.g. from renewable targets in transport.

Sources: Rozporządzenie (UE) 2024/1610 — normy CO₂ dla pojazdów ciężkich — EUR-Lex; Rozporządzenie (UE) 2023/1804 (AFIR) — EUR-Lex

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Not directly: the EU CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles (Regulation 2019/1242 as amended by Regulation 2024/1610) count tailpipe emissions, so a renewable fuel does not change the vehicle's classification, and bioLNG helps mainly in meeting renewable targets in transport.

The standards for manufacturers concern the average emissions of the vehicles sold, not the fuel they run on. The manufacturer must therefore gradually increase the share of zero-emission vehicles. For hauliers who already have gas fleets, bioLNG is a way to lower the life-cycle carbon footprint of existing vehicles, which counts in customer reports and sustainability targets. The RED III Directive promotes advanced biofuels in transport, so fuel suppliers have an incentive to offer bioLNG.

Sources: Rozporządzenie (UE) 2024/1610 — normy CO₂ dla pojazdów ciężkich — EUR-Lex; Dyrektywa (UE) 2023/2413 (RED III) — EUR-Lex

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bioCNG is biomethane compressed to approx. 200–250 bar and stored as a gas, while bioLNG is the same gas liquefied at approx. −162°C. bioLNG has a higher energy density, so it gives vehicles a longer range and cheaper transport over long distances.

Sources: European Biogas Association; IEA — Outlook for biogas and biomethane (2020); Dyrektywa (UE) 2018/2001 (RED II) — EUR-Lex

Discussed in the article: bioLNG: what it is and when liquefying biomethane makes sense

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BioLNG and LNG do not differ physically in any significant way, because both are liquefied methane; they differ in origin, because bioLNG is made from biomethane from waste and biomass, and LNG from fossil natural gas.

Thanks to this, bioLNG can be refuelled in the same vehicles and at the same stations as LNG. The difference shows in the greenhouse gas emission balance: bioLNG from waste or slurry can have life-cycle emissions much lower than fossil fuels, and in some chains even negative thanks to avoided emissions from the decomposition of waste. The RED II Directive (Annex V to Directive (EU) 2018/2001) adopts 94 g CO₂eq/MJ as the fossil fuel comparator in transport, from which the reduction is calculated. To sell a fuel as biological, the origin of the feedstock must be documented and the sustainability criteria met.

Sources: European Biogas Association; Dyrektywa (UE) 2023/2413 (RED III) — EUR-Lex

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BioLNG is produced from biomethane which, after additional removal of residual water and CO₂, is cooled in a liquefaction plant to a temperature of about −162 °C and directed to a cryogenic tank.

First the biogas undergoes upgrading, followed by additional drying and thorough removal of CO₂, sulphur and other components that could freeze at low temperature. Liquefaction takes place in refrigeration cycles, for example with a mixed refrigerant, with nitrogen, or in a cryogenic arrangement combining upgrading with liquefaction. The finished fuel goes to an insulated tank, from where it travels by tanker to a station. Liquefaction consumes energy, which lowers the efficiency of the whole chain and must be taken into account in the emissions and cost balance.

Sources: IEA Bioenergy Task 37 — Energy from Biogas; European Biogas Association

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BioLNG is carried in insulated cryogenic tankers (road, rail or container) to refuelling stations, terminals or industrial customers, where it is stored in tanks and, for industrial use, regasified.

Road tankers carry a dozen or so tonnes of fuel, which makes it possible to supply many vehicles from a single delivery. Because of evaporation (boil-off), logistics require planning so that the fuel does not stand for too long. At stations, refuelling takes place in a closed system, with suitable couplings and vapour recovery systems. In shipping, bunkering takes place from terminals, barges or tankers. Transport costs depend on distance, so profitability is greatest with well-located production.

Sources: European Biogas Association

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According to announcements about the EBA report of December 2025, about a hundred installations producing bioLNG operate in Europe, and most of this fuel goes to road transport, although in terms of the whole gas market it is still a small segment.

Interest in bioLNG is growing because of FuelEU Maritime, renewable targets in transport and the need to decarbonise lorries. Most installations are being built in countries with a developed biomethane industry and LNG infrastructure, such as Italy and the Netherlands. The data are estimates and change from year to year, so check current figures in reports of the European Biogas Association (part of the report is paid, and the figures come from secondary reports).

Sources: European Biogas Association — Statistical Report 2025 (komunikat); European Biogas Association

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From 1 tonne of liquefied methane, regasification yields about 1,400 m³ of gas under normal conditions, because the volume of the liquefied gas is about 600 times smaller than that of the gas.

The exact value depends on the gas composition and the reference conditions; the density of methane under normal conditions is about 0.72 kg/m³, so 1000 kg corresponds to about 1,400 m³. The density of bioLNG itself is of the order of 0.42–0.47 t/m³, depending on composition and temperature. In trade, bioLNG is usually settled in tonnes or in energy (MWh), not in cubic metres. This is convenient for comparisons, because it makes it easier to convert into kilometres driven by a lorry or to settle with the grid.

Sources: IEA Bioenergy Task 37 — Energy from Biogas

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BioLNG is an extremely cold and flammable fuel, so it requires special tanks and procedures, but when safety standards are observed it is used in transport and industry.

The main hazards are cold burns on contact with the liquid, the risk of fire or explosion after a leak and mixing with air, and an asphyxiating atmosphere in enclosed spaces. This is why stations and tanks are designed as pressure and cryogenic equipment, with safety valves, gas detectors and explosion hazard zones (ATEX). Operators and drivers undergo training, and some installations are subject to technical supervision and regulations on major accidents. The requirements depend on the quantity of fuel and the type of facility.

Sources: Urząd Dozoru Technicznego; Dyrektywa 2012/18/UE (Seveso III) — EUR-Lex

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The bioLNG market in Poland is only now taking shape: the first commercial biomethane plants injecting gas into the grid started in 2025–2026, and the production of liquefied biomethane on a larger scale has not yet been confirmed.

Poland has developed LNG infrastructure, including the terminal in Świnoujście and lorry refuelling stations, so there is potentially room for bioLNG. However, there is no mass production of biomethane, and liquefaction requires large gas streams and an offtaker. Investors are considering bioLNG as a way of using biomethane where there is no gas grid or when the transport fuel market offers a higher price. Current projects are worth checking with producers, industry associations and operators' announcements.

Sources: globenergia.pl: Biogaz i biometan w Polsce — bilans sektora na koniec 2025 r.; GAZ-SYSTEM

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The profitability of bioLNG depends on scale, the price of energy for liquefaction and the premium for renewable fuel in transport and shipping, which is why it is greatest where demand for low-emission fuels is supported by regulation.

Liquefaction requires capital expenditure and energy, and in addition cryogenic transport must be paid for. Revenue is based on the fuel price, on the value of certificates and on support resulting from regulations, for example renewable targets in transport or the FuelEU Maritime requirements. Risks are volatile gas prices, changes in law and the availability of feedstocks. For a biomethane plant the alternative is injection into the grid, so the decision is worth basing on a sensitivity analysis and preliminary agreements with customers.

Sources: European Biogas Association; Rozporządzenie (UE) 2023/1805 (FuelEU Maritime) — EUR-Lex

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BioLNG is biomethane liquefied by cooling to about −162 °C, which makes its volume about 600 times smaller than that of gas at ambient conditions, making transport and storage easier.

Liquefaction applies to gas of a quality that meets technical requirements, i.e. biomethane, not raw biogas. In liquid form the gas is carried in cryogenic tankers and stored in insulated tanks, and is then used as a fuel for lorries, ships and in industry beyond the reach of the gas grid. From a chemical point of view, bioLNG is the same fuel (mainly methane) as fossil LNG, but it comes from biomass or waste. Its renewable character is confirmed by sustainability certificates, not by physical properties.

Sources: European Biogas Association; IEA — Outlook for biogas and biomethane: prospects for organic growth

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Boil-off gas (BOG) is gas that evaporates from the liquefied fuel in the tank when heat passes through the insulation, which raises the pressure and requires it to be vented or put to use.

Even the best insulation is not perfect, so part of the liquid constantly evaporates. At stations and on ships, BOG is sometimes compressed and re-liquefied, used as fuel or directed to the grid. If it were simply released, there would be fuel losses and emissions of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. The amount of BOG depends on the quality of the insulation, the size of the tank, the storage time and the ambient temperature, which is why it is important to plan deliveries and rotation so that the fuel does not stand for too long.

Sources: European Biogas Association

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The carbon footprint of bioLNG depends on the feedstock and the supply chain: for waste and slurry it can be many times lower than that of diesel or LNG, and with slurry, in some calculations, even negative.

The RED Directive adopts a comparator of 94 g CO₂eq/MJ for fossil fuels in transport. Biomethane from slurry receives, in the RED methodology, an emission credit (−45 g CO₂eq/MJ of slurry) for avoiding methane emissions from the storage of natural fertiliser, which can give a result below zero. Biomethane from maize grown for energy purposes has a higher footprint and is subject to restrictions, which means that the assessment depends on the feedstock. Liquefaction, transport, any methane slip and losses are added to the emissions. A reliable value is given by the certificate for a specific batch.

Sources: Dyrektywa (UE) 2023/2413 (RED III) — EUR-Lex; Dyrektywa (UE) 2018/2001 (RED II) — EUR-Lex

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BioLNG helps shipowners meet the requirement to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels, which FuelEU Maritime introduces from 2025 for ships above 5000 GT calling at EU ports.

Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 provides that the emission intensity of the energy used on board a ship (on a well-to-wake basis) must fall by 2% in 2025, by 6% in 2030, by 14.5% in 2035, and in subsequent stages to 80% in 2050, relative to the 2020 reference level. Ships with dual-fuel LNG engines can use bioLNG, which lowers the average intensity. At the same time, shipping is covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Profitability depends on the price of bioLNG, the availability of bunkering and the assessment of methane emissions from engines.

Sources: Rozporządzenie (UE) 2023/1805 (FuelEU Maritime) — EUR-Lex; Dyrektywa 2003/87/WE (EU ETS) — EUR-Lex

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BioCNG (compressed biomethane) works well in local and regional transport and where a station is nearby, while bioLNG suits cases where a longer vehicle range and energy density matter, e.g. in long-haul heavy transport and shipping.

Compression to about 200–250 bar is technically simpler and cheaper than liquefaction, but the gas takes up more space in the tank and gives a shorter range. Liquefied gas has an energy density per unit of volume several times higher, which is why LNG lorries cover long routes without frequent refuelling. Liquefaction, however, requires a specialised installation, energy and cryogenic infrastructure. The choice therefore depends on the scale of production, the distance to customers, the type of vehicles and the available infrastructure.

Sources: European Biogas Association; Rozporządzenie (UE) 2023/1804 (AFIR) — EUR-Lex

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Emissions of unburned methane (so-called methane slip) result from the design of the engine and occur regardless of whether the fuel is LNG or bioLNG, so changing the fuel does not eliminate them.

In some engines, especially four-stroke dual-fuel engines on ships, part of the fuel does not have time to burn and passes into the exhaust system. Methane has a global warming potential many times greater than CO₂ (over a 100-year horizon about 27–30 times, according to IPCC AR6), so even a small share counts. Biomethane reduces life-cycle emissions mainly through the feedstock, but it does not remove the slip problem. This is why regulations increasingly take methane into account in the balance, and engine manufacturers are working to reduce it.

Sources: Rozporządzenie (UE) 2023/1805 (FuelEU Maritime) — EUR-Lex; IPCC AR6, Working Group I

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CO₂ and water freeze at temperatures much higher than the liquefaction point of methane and form ice or dry ice, which clogs the heat exchangers, valves and fittings of the liquefaction plant.

The gas sent for liquefaction must therefore have a very low CO₂ content and practically zero moisture. The requirements are much stricter than for injection into the gas grid: the CO₂ level is counted in ppm, not in per cent. For similar reasons, hydrogen sulphide, siloxanes and heavy hydrocarbons are also controlled. Insufficiently cleaned gas causes downtime and failures, which is why some upgrading technologies (e.g. cryogenic) combine CO₂ removal and liquefaction in a single process line.

Sources: IEA Bioenergy Task 37 — Energy from Biogas

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