The European Commission (EC) studies the use of biogas and its future in Europe as a source of energy and published a study called "An assessment of the potential of biogas from digestion in the EU beyond 2020".
According to the EC, the use of biogas has not reached its full potential and the EC makes a number of recommendations in order to maximise it, such as advocating for a long-term policy framework. The EC also pointed out several regulatory and technical barriers which have to be removed in order to enhance biogas cross-border energy trade in the EU.
The EU set climate and energy targets for 2020 and 2030 and two objectives were singled out in particular: a target of 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels and a share of at least 27% renewable energies in the EU's energy consumption.
The EC reported 14.9 Mtoe of biogas were produced in the EU in 2014, which accounted for 7.6 of all primary renewable energy generation. It was mainly used for electricity generation (62%), but also heat production (27%) and as a transport fuel (11%). Germany is the largest producer of biogas and accounts for nearly 50% of the total EC output.
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