Polski
Biomethane on the Rise: German Biogas Plants Get a Second Wind, Brussels Promises Support
This week in the biogas and biomethane industry brings together two perspectives: a hard example from the field and a political declaration from the very top. Germany's EnviTec Biogas shows how to turn mature agricultural biogas plants into biomethane plants, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen places biomethane alongside renewables and nuclear power as a pillar of the continent's energy independence.
01 · Plant Modernization
EnviTec Biogas: How to Give a Biogas Plant a Second Life After Subsidies
Germany's EnviTec Biogas has announced three new projects to upgrade existing agricultural biogas plants for biomethane production [1]. The Priborn plant has been operating since July and is now reaching a capacity of 475 Nm³/h. In Friesoythe, work is underway to expand output to a target of 600 Nm³/h, while in Delbrück a compact, container-housed membrane module with a capacity of 200 Nm³/h will start up in November [1].
What ties these three projects together isn't just EnviTec's EnviThan biogas upgrading technology, but above all the business model behind them. Many agricultural biogas plants in Germany and across Europe are approaching the end of the subsidy period their finances were originally built on. Converting to biomethane injected directly into the gas grid gives them a new revenue stream and a reason to keep operating, rather than shutting down once feed-in tariffs expire [1]. For the Polish market, which is only just gaining momentum on biomethane, this is a ready-made roadmap - and a signal that EnviTec, which will also be present at BioPower Poland 2026, is taking this direction seriously and for the long term.
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02 · EU Policy
Von der Leyen: Biomethane Isn't an Add-On, It's a Tool for Independence
This week brings a signal from Brussels that should please anyone betting on biomethane. In her address, Ursula von der Leyen placed the technology in the same category as renewable energy sources and nuclear power - emissions-neutral solutions meant to give Europe genuine energy independence and, just as importantly, lower energy prices [2].
The Commission President cited a specific figure: fossil fuel imports have cost Europe an extra €90 billion since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, without any measurable energy benefit in return [2]. It's a hard argument to ignore - and one that fits neatly into the logic behind projects like those carried out by EnviTec Biogas. Von der Leyen also announced further support for biomethane development at the EU level [2], which for Polish investors waiting on clear financing frameworks could be a sign that concrete instruments are on the way in the coming months.
03
Policy Meets Practice
What's happening in Priborn, Friesoythe and Delbrück is exactly the "energy independence" von der Leyen talks about, in practice - not a slogan, but an actual plant injecting biomethane into the grid. When EU policy and real-world investment point in the same direction, it's a good moment to take a closer look at biogas upgrading technologies and the business models that let biogas plants survive once support schemes run out.
These are exactly the kinds of solutions - along with many others from the biogas, biomethane, biofuels and biomass sector - that you'll be able to discuss in person at BioPower Poland 2026 – Trade Fair for Biogas, Biomethane, Biofuels and Biomass. Join us!
Invitation
The conversion of biogas plants into biomethane facilities and EU support for energy independence are themes that will keep coming up at BioPower Poland 2026. Meet exhibitors like EnviTec Biogas, talk about biogas upgrading technologies, and find out how to prepare for the support coming from Brussels. Book your spot today.
BioPower Poland 2026Footnotes
[1] EnviTec Biogas (press release) — https://www.envitec-biogas.com/news/envitec-biogas-advances-germanys-energy-transition-with-three-new-biomethane-projects[2] Bioenergy Insight Magazine — https://www.bioenergy-news.com/news/von-der-leyen-positions-biomethane-as-europes-strategic-energy-independence-tool/