Overview of biomethane markets and regulations ... - Green Gas Grids

Figure 1: Natural gas grid and storage facilities in Austria (source
www.e-control.at)
Contributing more than 50 % to the national power generation, water power takes
a predominant role in Austria’s energy mix. However, natural gas is of increasing
significance for the country’s fuel supply. In 2010 about a quarter of the gross
energy consumption (23.8 %) and 17.1 % of the final energy consumption were
derived from natural gas.
With around 6,000 CNG cars and a gas consumption of approximately 475 TJ in
2010 (less the 2 % of total annual gas consumption), the transport sector is of
minor significance for Austria’s natural gas market. With 170 filling stations Austria
has (in proportion to the country’s size) one of the highest densities in terms of
CNG filling stations in Europe. In a few years the gas industry wants to increase the
number of public stations to 200. With the five-point action programme – which
was launched in 2006 by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment
and Water Management together with the OMV – natural and biogas as road
transport fuels has been encouraged. By offering a CNG fuel with 20 % biomethane
share, branded "Bio-CNG", the public CNG vehicle sector has been opened up for
biomethane in Austria.
Technical standards for biomethane and natural gas
The Austrian Gas Act (GWG) regulates the general framework conditions for the
integration of biogas, and grants non-discriminatory, but not priority, grid access
for biogenic gases. Distribution companies are obliged to establish General
Distribution System Conditions which must be approved by the E-Control
Commission. In the distribution system’s condition, the quality requirements and
possible integration points relevant to the introduction and transport of biogenic
gases must be determined. The distribution system operator charges the plant
operator those expenses incurred through the initial establishment of the
connection of the biogas plant to the distribution grid in the form of a grid access
fee. These costs are entirely born by the biogas suppliers. This regulation combined
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