Up to 10% of domestic gas consumption: Czech Republic eyes massive expansion of biomethane plants

Biomethane production in the Czech Republic is set to start growing rapidly in the coming years. The number of biomethane plants is expected to rise from the current 10 to 100 by 2029. This follows from the Action Plan for the Development of Biomethane in the Czech Republic, presented by the Ministry of the Environment together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Biomethane production began in the Czech Republic in 2019, when the first biomethane plant was commissioned. By 2024, the number of biomethane plants had risen to 10, with their total installed capacity amounting to 17.7 million m3/year. Last year's production, however, reached only 7.5 million m3. By comparison, natural gas consumption in the Czech Republic stood at 6,767 million m3 last year.

"A key constraint on biomethane sales is its production costs, which have so far been significantly higher in the Czech Republic than the price of imported biomethane, and higher than operators would need for their operations. In the Czech transport sector, the use of imported biomethane predominates," the Ministry of the Environment (MŽP) said in the document.

Nevertheless, the MŽP believes that the expansion of biomethane use in the Czech Republic can be kick-started, including through the presented action plan, and that around 90 additional biomethane plants will be commissioned by 2029.

“Biomethane plants not only help make energy use of waste, but also reduce consumption of imported natural gas while contributing to the necessary move away from coal. Biological waste and sludge from wastewater treatment plants can be further utilised, and these plants generate new energy. Biomethane is clearly a key element of our path towards sustainable energy, cleaner transport and agriculture. Not only does it help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it also supports the regional economy. The circular economy has the potential to make better use of domestic energy resources and increase the energy independence and security of rural areas and the entire Czech Republic,” Environment Minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL) said, noting that biomethane could replace more than 10% of current natural gas consumption in the Czech Republic.

Converting biogas plants into biomethane plants

A large share of biomethane plants is expected to be created by converting existing biogas plants. There are currently around 574 of these in the Czech Republic, of which 400 are agricultural plants and 100 are municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants producing sewage gas. The remaining approximately 70 are facilities producing landfill gas.

"Most biogas produced today is used to generate electricity and, in some cases, heat is also used not only for the plants' own needs but also to heat municipalities, industrial sites or farms. However, a significant share of the heat is not utilised, meaning the Czech Republic loses around 1 TWh of energy annually," the MŽP said in the action plan.

Implementation of the proposed plan is to be supported, on the one hand, by operating and investment support and, on the other, by measures to increase demand, support for injection into the gas grid and the development of infrastructure for bioCNG and bioLNG. The ministry noted that suppliers of gaseous transport fuels will newly be required to ensure a minimum share of biomethane and other renewable transport fuels – 1.25% from 2026 and 5.5% by 2030. Of this, at least 1% must consist of renewable hydrogen or synthetic fuels.

The recently presented Ten-Year Gas Transmission System Development Plan for 2026 to 2035 also envisages growth in biomethane production in the Czech Republic. According to the plan, domestic biomethane production could rise from last year's 73 GWh supplied by 10 production facilities to as much as 8,110 GWh supplied by up to 250 facilities in 2035.

The operator of the Czech gas transmission system nevertheless noted that, at present, only 25 connection agreements are registered from this estimate, with potential total biomethane production of 816 GWh/year. The stated potential may therefore not be realised at all.