Third participatory workshop in Finland to present national roadmap – the Finnish government already approved the biogas target!

The third REGATRACE multi-stakeholder participatory workshop “Biomethane/biogas vision and roadmap” was organized by Finnish Biocycle and Biogas Association in cooperation with the REGATRACE project as an on-line session on the 18th of October 2021. The workshop gathered together about 15 specialists along the Finnish biomethane and biogas value chain.

The objectives of the workshop were:

  1. To present the national biogas roadmap
  2. To present the draft Guidance for Feasibility analysis

RESULTS OF THE WORKSHOP

At the first part of the workshop Finnish biogas roadmap was presented for the participants. In connection with the presentation of the roadmap, it was assessed whether there was a need for updates to the roadmap. The participants still considered the set goal to be realistic and the proposed measures to be timely and workable.

Worth mentioning that the Finnish government at its September summit set the annual target of 4 TWh for biogas production in Finland in 2030​. The Finnish biogas sector hopes that the target will be confirmed in connection with the update of national climate policy in winter 2022.

At the second part of the workshop was discussed about the feasibility analysis. The fourth and the final workshop will be hold in February. The purpose of the workshop is to sum up the entire national roadmap process and to present the country tailored guidance for feasibility studies. The national election will be hold in April 2023, so the roadmap will be very useful in that respect.

The Finnish biogas roadmap in a nutshell:

  • Target is to have annual biogas production of 4 TWh in Finland in 2030​.
  • The vision is: ”The vision of the Finnish biogas sector is to be competitive and vital, and being strongly integrated into the modern energy system and network. Besides that, the sector holds a strong foothold in national the nutrient recycling activities. The biogas production level in Finland will reach 4 TWh by 2030. Most of the biogas would be upgraded to biomethane; so that the biogas sector could serve the growing demand in sustainable and clean energy from the transport and industry sectors. The new biogas production would be based in particular on the utilization of agricultural-based by-products, but new technologies and feeds would also play a role (e.g. gasification).”
  • Action plan: Actions should be taken in three-time windows: 2021-2023, 2024-2030 and 2030-2035. For the start, it is important to ensure the availability of biomethane for users, in which the increased production volumes of biogas/biomethane and the number of gas filling play important roles. This requires public investment money through the 2020s. Later the development of new market mechanisms, such as GoO-system, becomes also important. Between 2025-2030, the demand for biomethane in shipping and industries should be strengthen. The role of digestate is becoming more vital year after year, because it can improve the economics of biogas plants remarkably. Through the 2020s, there is a need to improve market conditions of recycled nutrients and fertilizers needs namely by increasing the supply of a good quality products and finding right incentives to raise up the demand side.

 

Contacts:

Anna Virolainen-Hynnä, Executive Director, Finnish Biocycle and Biogas Association, +358 400 987 805, anna.virolainen-hynna@biokierto.fi, www.biokierto.fi