The important ecological and strategic values ​​of biomethane and LNG have been officially recognized by the European Union, which invites each member state to move towards products that are conducive to sustainable development and, in particular, to develop the necessary infrastructures for the supply of alternative fuels.

In Italy the decree D.M. March 2, 2018 to promote the use of biomethane and other biofuels for injection into the national natural gas network and also for road transport.

Biomethane derives from biogas, a programmable renewable energy source that allows the management of plants under a flexible programming regime. It represents a useful resource for the replacement of fossil fuels and therefore for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, it can be produced and consumed as a biofuel for motor vehicles in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) ).

It can be distributed through the methane gas network already present and branched into the national territory, maintaining the same environmental characteristics of methane of fossil origin (particulate matter practically reduced to zero, minimal emissions of nitrogen oxides and other hydrocarbons) but above all it is a biofuel. renewable energy considered strategically valuable in its own right to meet the demand for ecological fuels for transport.

Even (bio) LNG or liquid methane, obtained through a process of cooling the gas itself that takes place inside cryogenic tanks, has undisputed advantages thanks to the fact that its volume is about 600 times lower than methane. in gaseous form and therefore can be stored and transported much more easily as fuel in heavy vehicles destined for the transport of goods, until now limited by the lack of autonomy, the excessive weight of the cylinders and their encumbrance.

The D.M. March 2, 2018 establishes an incentive framework that favors the production and use of biomethane with a view to contributing to the reduction of polluting emissions in the transport sector.

The promotion mechanism provides for the issue of Certificates of Release for Consumption (CIC), issued or withdrawn to biomethane producers by the Energy Services Manager (GSE). Companies that distribute petrol and diesel are obliged to annually introduce a minimum quota of sustainable biofuels established by the decree and, to fulfill the obligation, they can introduce biomethane into the national gas network or buy CICs on the energy market. The release for consumption of 10 Gcal of biofuels entitles you to a Certificate of Release for Consumption.

For producers of advanced biomethane, that is the one obtained starting from the raw materials and fuels listed in part A of annex 3 of the decree of the Minister of Economic Development 2 March 2018, a value equal to € 375 is recognized for each CIC recognized by the GSE or the withdrawal at a price equal to the average price weighted with the quantities, registered on the spot market for natural gas (MPGAS) managed by the Manager of the Energy Markets (GME) in the month of sale, which GME makes available on its website, reduced by 5%.

Farms currently engaged in transforming their agricultural by-products and livestock waste into biogas from anaerobic digestion, which, after a refining process, can reach a methane concentration of at least 95%.

We provide a technical-administrative assessment of the opportunity through a study that highlights the estimates of the potential for the supply of biogas and biomethane, the availability of sustainable raw materials, production costs and environmental benefits.

EPS’s action is focused on encouraging the conversion of existing biogas plants, to produce and distribute biomethane locally, with the objectives of technological innovation, environmental sustainability, enhancement of investments through CIC incentives recognized by the GSE, availability of biomass present on the farm (zootechnical waste, by-products, biomass, etc.) and land for the agronomic enhancement of the digestate.

Finally, we complete the interventions provided for in the conversion project, developing the authorization process, the construction of the works, the issue of certifications, CIC incentives and final testing.