Removing Technical Barriers to Biomethane STAndaRdisation Phase 2C

Project Information

BIOSTAR2C

Grant agreement ID: 101112475

DOI

10.3030/101112475

Project closed

EC signature date 19 December 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 May 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 2 999 851,00

EU contribution

€ 2 999 851,00

Coordinated by

GERG LE GROUPE EUROPEEN DE RECHERCHES GAZIERES
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BIOSTAR2C (Removing Technical Barriers to Biomethane STAndaRdisation Phase 2C)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In cooperation with CEN TC 408, its stakeholder community and DG Energy, GERG has developed and has been delivering a workprogramme to address the removal of barriers to the injection of biomethane in the gas infrastructure, which will enable standardization:
• Phase 1: funded by GERG members to identify barriers;
• SA/CEN/RESEARCH/475/2017-07 (2018-2019) – Phase 2a: experimental work on siloxanes, and a literature study on impacts of sulfur, impacts of oxygen, particularly related to underground storage and corrosion, and health impacts;
• SA/CEN/RESEARCH/475/2019-09 (2020-2022) – Phase 2b: continued experimental work on siloxanes, commencement of experimental campaign on sulphur, and on oxygen impacts. Improving specific knowledge on biomethane at the European level, particularly in relation to impact of feedstocks;
• This project, BioStAR2c (2022-2024) – Phase 2c: Completion of the experimental and literature campaigns begun in Phase 2b to support the delivery by CEN TC 408 and update of the standards
BioStAR2c marks the completion of this multi-phase programme of work. The project aims to ensure that costs of biomethane injection are optimised, and there are no undue burdens on producers. This work is expected to enable growth of the biomethane industry and confidence that investments can be made in biomethane production and injection.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The current versions of the standards for biomethane injection in natural gas grid and use as a fuel (EN16723-1 and EN16723-2) specify the maximum concentration for trace compound found in biomethane such as H2, siloxanes, sulfur…. These standards have been established in 2016 on the basis of recommendation of the gas sector in order to ensure safe and performant usage of biomethane in classical natural gas infrastructures. However, the different values implemented within the standards were not all based on scientific data and the need to assess the real impact of biomethane trace components has been decided by the different stakeholders. The Biostar2C project aims at finalizing theses pre-normative researches engaged since 2016 to update these standards for ensuring the safe and cost effective use of biomethane in replacement of natural gas

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Ongoing at time of interim reporting period