Navigating Biogas Shortages: Practical Advice for Farmers in Crafting Effective Emergency Strategies
In a bid to support the biogas industry, the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry has presented considerations for emergency planning. The measures include risk assessment, establishment of emergency plans, regular training, and coordination with local emergency services.
The federal government is also urged to take action. Network operators are proposed to be obliged to offer a flexible network connection agreement, and remuneration should be based on a power quantity model in the future.
The importance of this industry is underscored by the fact that over 560 Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units are operational in Bavaria alone. If these plants were to shut down, the damage could reach the scale of two to three gas power plant blocks, with a tender volume of at least one gigawatt.
The EU Commission has not yet approved a biogas package with higher tender volumes by August 31. However, the biogas industry is optimistic that politics will respond to the rescue package. The funds for such a measure are reportedly available without additional costs, according to the DBV General Secretary.
The bioenergy industry is facing a critical situation, with many biogas farmers urgently needing a subsidy for around 700 plants or 1300 CHP units with an installed capacity of around 400 kW. A quick bridging aid for the plants whose EEG remuneration ends in 2025 is proposed as a short-term solution.
In the medium term, the existing biogas plants could provide up to 24 GW of capacity. This capacity could be realised within three years and would be much cheaper than the proposed fossil gas power plants, offering a promising alternative for renewable energy.
The HBB has proposed several adjustments to the planned EEG amendment in a Bioenergy Package 2.0. These include the setting of a annually decreasing path of maximum feed-in hours and the abolition of the maize cap, along with the extension and significant increase of the tender volume until 2032.
Positive signals have been received from the Bundestag, and talks with the Federal Ministry of Economics on the rescue package for the bioenergy industry are scheduled to begin next Friday (29.8.). Horst Seide, President of the Biogas Association, remains critical of the situation, emphasising the need for immediate action.
The new tender round of the Federal Network Agency offers only around 363 MW, which is criticised as too little. The industry hopes that the proposed emergency measures and the Bioenergy Package 2.0 will provide the necessary support to ensure the continued operation and growth of the biogas industry in Bavaria and beyond.
