Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. Utility companies: Not having strategy regarding biomethane is...

Utility companies: Not having strategy regarding biomethane is lack of vision

August 21, 2024

Romania should move in terms of green gas production, because it has potential, but currently there is no strategy regarding biomethane, according to the representatives of the Federation of Associations of Energy Utility Companies."We have 60,000 km of gas distribution network and potentially new production capacities, plus biomethane production potential, which is an easy decarbonization tool, using the existing infrastructure, without the separate investments, i.e. infrastructure investments. We should be unskilled, in the happiest way to say it, so that we don't exploit this matter. Not having any strategy as a country that still wants to be the biggest gas producer in the EU and not having a strategy how to maximize your infrastructure benefits, I think it is a great example of a lack of vision", said Daniela Daraban, the executive director of the Federation of Energy Utility Companies Associations (ACUE), at a meeting with the press on Monday.According to the data presented by the gas sector operators, based on the estimates of the European Biogas Association and the European Commission, Romania should rank 6th compared to the EU-27 in terms of biomethane production potential until 2030 (2 billion cubic meters - bcm - annually) and in 7th place compared to EU-27 until 2050 (8 bcm/year).Although there is discussion about giving up methane gas until 2050, for now it is considered a transition fuel, and Romania can be considered privileged from this point of view, because it will have the Neptun Deep project. However, there is potential for replacement with renewable resources, such as biomethane and green hydrogen, and Romania should move from this point of view, say ACUE representatives.As far as green hydrogen is concerned, things have stagnated, including at the EU level, as there are still gaps in regulation and commercial aspects, they emphasize.The Romanian Energy Strategy Project 2025 - 2035, with the 2050 outlook, emphasizes that, given that biomethane and natural well gas have the same chemical composition, biomethane can be used in the existing networks and facilities, without the need for specific adaptation theirs.

Read in full - click here
Romania takes the presidency of the Central European Initiative for 2026

Romania took the presidency of the Central European Initiative (or CEI) on Wednesday, November 26, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).  The organization is a regional intergovernmental forum established in 1989, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. It gathers 17 Member States in Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe […]

Romania-Poland annual bilateral trade in goods valued at over EUR 12 billion

Trade between Romania and Poland continues to grow, with annual bilateral exchanges in goods now valued at more than EUR 12 billion, according to figures presented by the Polish-Romanian Bilateral Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PRBCC). The data was released during a reception in Bucharest marking Poland’s Independence Day and Romania’s National Day. Polish investments […]

Lorena Tănase (ONV LAW) and Alina Sîrbu (Arthur Hunt) explain the EU Pay Transparency Directive and its implications for companies in Romania

As Romania moves closer to implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, local employers are preparing for one of the most consequential shifts in workplace regulation in over a decade. The directive, set for transposition by June 2026, introduces strict new rules on salary disclosure, pay reporting, and equal-pay verification, aiming to close persistent gender gaps […]

Young Romanian develops system allowing bag-based return of recyclable packaging

A young Romanian has developed a new system that allows people to return entire bags of recyclable packaging at once, replacing the traditional method of inserting bottles one by one into reverse-vending machines. The concept, called IZI, was created by Ștefan Parascanu, who returned to Romania after studying and working in the United Kingdom. The […]

Tobacco company JTI announces plan for new state-of-the-art factory in Romania

JTI, the global owner of both Winston and Camel, announced on Thursday, November 27, a plan to build a new, state-of-the-art factory in Ștefăneștii de Jos, Ilfov County.  Designed to replace the current Bucharest production site, which is operating under space constraints, the facility is scheduled for completion in 2027. Ground works at the new […]

Romania’s Oradea begins installing smart parking meters

The City Hall of Oradea, in northwest Romania, has begun installing new smart parking meters as part of its ongoing modernization and digitalization of the municipal parking system. The first batch of devices has already been placed in central areas, and the entire system is expected to become operational by the end of the year. […]