REPowerEU roadmap and biomethane: the Commission foresees a long role for renewable gases

At the beginning of May 2025 the European Commission presented an updated roadmap on phasing out Russian energy imports, and on 12 May 2025 the European Biogas Association (EBA) "strongly" welcomed it. For biomethane, the most important statement is the Commission's view that gaseous fuels, including biomethane and biogas, will remain in the EU energy mix in 2040 and 2050, especially in sectors that are hard to electrify and as an industrial feedstock.

What is in the document

The roadmap contains nine actions intended to reduce, and ultimately end, dependence on Russian gas, oil and nuclear fuel. The Commission estimates that total gas consumption in the EU will be 105–155 Mtoe in 2040 and 70–80 Mtoe in 2050. New rules are to require Member States to adopt national plans for phasing out Russian gas, with a timetable, milestones and diversification measures. The communication was to be supplemented by legislative proposals; the source does not give their dates.

The EBA's position

EBA Director General Harmen Dekker judged that renewable gases will be indispensable for Europe's energy future, and called for an equally decisive shift to "our own, affordable and circular alternatives". The association forecasts that biogas production in the EU could reach 101 billion m³ in 2040 and 150 billion m³ in 2050, and calls for a dedicated target for biogases before 2040 and for a European Biogases Charter.

Why this matters

Biomethane is one of the few gaseous fuels that can be produced entirely on site, on farms and at processing plants, and injected into existing grids. In terms of energy security this matters, because it limits dependence on imports. At the same time the scale – the EBA's forecast of 101 billion m³ of biogases in 2040, against estimated gas consumption of 105–155 Mtoe, would mean more than half of that consumption (assuming this is a biomethane equivalent) – requires diversification of supplies and demand reduction in parallel.

Significance for the industry in Poland

Since 2022 Poland has moved away from Russian gas in its contracts, but security of supply issues remain at the centre of the debate. Biomethane fits the energy security narrative that the Polish government also speaks of. For Polish investors the signal is important: EU institutions recognise that renewable gas will remain in the system for a long time, which improves the predictability of long-term contracts and supports credit decisions.

In the shorter term the roadmap itself does not change the conditions of support – these depend on national auctions, programmes and connections.

What next

The roadmap opens a legislative process that is to translate the nine actions into specific legal proposals. The EBA is calling for a dedicated target for biogases before 2040 and a European Biogases Charter. In the short term the roadmap itself does not change the conditions of support – these depend on national auctions, programmes and connections – but it clearly strengthens the argument of supporters of renewable gases.