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

Switzerland
Status quo - biogas plants and biomethane plants
Switzerland introduced a subsidy scheme for renewables in 2009 and thus started
actively supporting bioenergy. Prior to that, the number of biogas plants had fallen
from 102 in 1990 down to 76 in 2008, but encouraged by the electricity feed-in
tariff scheme biogas production went up with some 140 plants processing
agricultural biomass and biowaste today. Additionally there are approximately
460 sewage gas facilities on waste water treatment plants, so in total 860 GWh of
energy were derived from biogas in 2010. The preferred substrates are agricultural
residues such as manure, animal waste and biowaste. However the Swiss company
Kompogas pioneered the technological development of biowaste digestion and the
name Kompogas has become a synonym for biogas derived from biowaste.
Figure 12: Map of Swiss biomethane projects, status 2010 (source
www. erdgas.ch)
Even though the national policy does not offer specific financial support for biogas
upgrading, there are 17 biomethane plants in operation, 15 of which inject into the
gas grid, most of them feeding into the distribution network. The Swiss Gas
Industry plays a key role in promoting biogas grig injection. According to the Swiss
Federal Office of Energy 58 GWh biomethane were injected to the public grid in
2010. The principle pathway for biomethane utilisation as vehicle fuel, and under
the brand names "Naturgas" or "Kompogas" a mixture of natural gas and
biomethane is sold at Swiss filling stops. Moreover, many local gas distribution
companies offer biogas to household clients for heating appliances throughout
Switzerland.
Political targets for biogas and biomethane production
The Swiss Energy Act sets the framework for RES production. The Act stipulates an
increase of RES in electricity of 5,400 GWh by the year 2030. Several measures,
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