From Biomethane to Hydrogen: What Prospects for Decarbonizing the European Gas Mix?

Since February 2022, the natural gas industry in Europe has been completely transformed because of the disruption caused by the war in Ukraine. The European Union (EU) needs to reinvent its gas mix to achieve carbon neutrality by turning to biomethane and hydrogen. Biomethane, produced from organic matter, offers environmental and economic advantages, despite high production costs. The EU aims to produce 35 Gm³ by 2030, doubling its goal by that year. « Green » hydrogen is also crucial for decarbonizing sectors that are hard to electrify, such as heavy industry and transportation, but faces challenges, including the need to build infrastructure and competitiveness with Chinese equipment producers. Overall, the EU has already reduced its dependence on Russian gas, which made up 50% of imports before the war, but only 15% in 2024, and should no longer be at all dependent by 2027.