CG: n
CT: Biomethane is the purified version of biogas, produced from the breakdown of organic matter. It is one of the main renewable gases of the future and available today to help decarbonise the EU’s energy system.
A sustainable alternative to fossil gas, which can be stored, distributed and used according to demand, biomethane can play a significant role towards achieving the EU’s clean energy objectives. It can also be used to further diversify the EU’s gas supplies, phasing out Europe’s dependency on Russian fossil fuels and reducing the exposure of consumers to volatile natural gas prices.
S: EC – https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/renewable-energy/bioenergy/biomethane_en (last access: 24 January 2025).
N: 1. Term formed by the prefix “bio-” (c.1819, word-forming element, from Greek bio-, combined form of bios “one’s life, course or way of living, lifetime”) and the noun “methane” (“inflammable colorless and odorless gas, marsh gas,” 1867, coined from chemical suffix –ane + syllable abstracted from methyl).
2. Biomethane (also known as “renewable natural gas”) is a near-pure source of methane produced either by “upgrading” biogas (a process that removes any CO2 and other contaminants present in the biogas) or through the gasification of solid biomass followed by methanation:
- Upgrading biogas: This accounts for around 90% of total biomethane produced worldwide today. Upgrading technologies make use of the different properties of the various gases contained within biogas to separate them, with water scrubbing and membrane separation accounting for almost 60% of biomethane production globally today (Cedigaz, 2019).
- Thermal gasification of solid biomass followed by methanation: Woody biomass is first broken down at high temperature (between 700-800°C) and high pressure in a low-oxygen environment. Under these conditions, the biomass is converted into a mixture of gases, mainly carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane (sometimes collectively called syngas). To produce a pure stream of biomethane, this syngas is cleaned to remove any acidic and corrosive components. The methanation process then uses a catalyst to promote a reaction between the hydrogen and carbon monoxide or CO2 to produce methane. Any remaining CO2 or water is removed at the end of this process.
Biomethane has an LHV of around 36 MJ/m3. It is indistinguishable from natural gas and so can be used without the need for any changes in transmission and distribution infrastructure or end-user equipment, and is fully compatible for use in natural gas vehicles.
3. Biochemistry; Biomass Energy; Gas Industry: biomethane, biological methane.
- A methane rich gas derived from biogas or from gasification of biomass by upgrading with the properties similar to natural gas.
- Not to be confused with “biogas,” which is composed primarily of “biomethane,” CO2 and small quantities of other gases.
- biomethane: term and definition standardized by ISO in 2014.
S: 1. Etymonline – https://www.etymonline.com/word/bio-#etymonline_v_11170 (last access: 24 January 2025); EncBrit – https://www.britannica.com/science/methane (last access: 24 January 2025). 2. IEA – https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth/an-introduction-to-biogas-and-biomethane (last access: 24 January 2025). 3. TERMIUM PLUS – https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-eng.html?lang=eng&i=1&srchtxt=biomethane&index=alt&codom2nd_wet=1#resultrecs (last access: 24 January 2025).
SYN: biological methane
S: TERMIUM PLUS – https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-eng.html?lang=eng&i=1&srchtxt=biomethane&index=alt&codom2nd_wet=1#resultrecs (last access: 24 January 2025)
