Support to European Standardisation Organisations for biomethane injection in the grid in support of the implementation of the RED II as well as gas quality regulatory work

CEN/TC 408 worked on the Commission's Standardization Request M/475 on standards for biomethane use in transport and injection in natural gas pipelines under contract SA/CEN/ENTR/EFTA/475/2012-15 and the standardisation work has progressed well. However, the work identified important topics for which research has to be continued in order to provide certainty for the specification and in particular:

a. Impact of siloxanes on industrial boilers;

b. Impact of Sulphur on engines;

c. Impact of oxygen on underground storages;

d. Impact of components on health;

e. corrosion tests in gas networks;

f. impacts of Hydrogen content in biomethane on gas grid;

g. statistical analysis on biogas composition;

h. purification process.

This grant will be awarded without a call for proposals according to Article 195(e) of the Financial Regulation and Article 20(4) of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme and Rules for Participation to the legal entity identified below as previous work under H2020 specific grant agreements with CEN have identified that there are knowledge gaps on impacts of biomethane related siloxanes on heavy duty vehicles engines and industrial boilers as well as the sulphur and oxygen content impact on gas facilities. In order to be able to update the bio-methane standards EN16723-1:2016 and EN16723-2:2017 it is necessary to perform experiments on these 2 topics. These are particularly relevant for advancing regulatory work for greening the gas grid under the Green Deal. It is also relevant for implementing RED II.

There is urgency to begin in 2021 to complement existing specific grant agreement ENER/C2/452-2019 as some work will need to run in parallel and to avoid significant gaps. Revision of EN16723 would follow on the basis of this work in 2023. Without this follow up agreement, it will not be possible to complete the work needed to revise CEN standard EN/16723.