Ukraine has an abundance of the raw material (feedstock) required to create green gas (Biomethane). In addition to having the largest area of agricultural land in Europe (from which products like grass, maize, and animal manure can be harvested), Ukraine also has significant distillery, dairy, and municipal sectors. All of these sectors produce plentiful wastes and by-products suitable for feedstock.

Biomethane Production Estimates

According to Ukrainian industry experts, there is enough feedstock to create upwards of 9 billion to 20 billion cubic meters of biomethane per annum. That is as much as six times the current total output of biomethane for the entire EU-27.

The Shift from Fossil Fuel to Biomethane

Ukrainian consumption of fossil fuel gas CH4 has fallen considerably since the war due to a decline in industrial production. As this consumption will take time to recover, there is an opportunity to replace fossil fuel gas with clean, green Biomethane.

Ending Dependence on Russian Gas

Biomethane can also help end Ukraine and Europe’s dependence on fossil fuel gas produced in Russia. Building Biomethane plants to meet the recovering energy demand makes perfect sense as it aligns with the twin Ukrainian Government goals of building back better and decentralizing energy supply.

Infrastructure Requirements for Biomethane Production

The level of infrastructure required to do this is substantial, however. For instance, to produce 1 billion m3/year by 2030 would require:

• 400 biogas plants of an average capacity of 350 m3/h of biomethane, or
• 230 biomethane plants with a capacity of 500 m3/h, or
• 115 plants with a capacity of 1000 m3/h of biomethane.

Investment Needs for Biomethane Industry

Based on an estimated cost of 1 -1.5 million euros per capacity of 1 million m3/year, this would require an investment of 1-1.5 billion euros.

Feedstock Requirements for Biomethane Production

So, how much feedstock would we need to do this? As an example, if a large Biomethane plant produced 1000 m3/h of biomethane, the production of 1000 cubic meters per hour of Biomethane would require about 265 tons per day (96,840 tons per year) of maize silage. Growing this amount of maize with an average yield of 21.8 tons per hectare will require 4,440 hectares of land.

Land Use for Biomethane Production

Ukraine has approximately 42 million hectares of land suitable for agricultural purposes. Therefore, a single 1000 m3/h biomethane plant would require approximately 0.01% of the available agricultural land, and 115 plants could use as little as 1.15% of the available agricultural land.

The Shift from Crop to Waste in Biogas Production

This is where there will need to be flexibility amongst investors and buyers of biomethane. There is an increasing trend away from using crops to produce Biogas and towards using waste. Investors are looking to invest in waste-driven plants more than crop-driven ones, and buyers of biomethane are willing to pay more for biomethane derived from waste rather than crops.

The Need for a Flexible Approach in Ukraine

This is correct in my view, but in the case of Ukraine, a more flexible approach is needed. If Ukraine is to expand at the rapid pace required, it will need to be able to use all of the resources at its disposal and manage its own transition in its own time.

The Potential of Crop Residue in Biomethane Production

For instance, 50% of Ukraine’s potential in biomethane is in crop residue. These residues, such as straw, are ideal as they qualify as waste since they have no further use in the human food chain. However, products such as straw, while abundant, are very hard to use in biogas production, and there are very few manufacturers of biogas systems that can process straw commercially. There are definitely not enough of these manufacturers to build 20+ plants per annum.

The Role of Maize Silage in Biomethane Production

If Ukraine is to develop the Biomethane industry to its full potential, it has to start with the low-hanging fruit (or crop in this case), and that is maize silage. If the first wave of plants are built with Maize, then the second, third, and fourth waves can be built using residues and wastes. This will allow the Biogas industry to expand to meet demand and perhaps even manufacture the new systems needed to deal with tough products such as straw in Ukraine.