Not only will French farmers have to feed the country, but they could also help it do without Russian gas. This is essentially, since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, the recent message from the biogas sector to encourage the acceleration of its deployment. Biomethane is a “green gas”, produced in particular from agricultural waste. A renewable energy that emits ten times less carbon than fossil gas, argue its promoters… But a solution contested for its nuisances, in particular olfactory, even for its risks on land use.
For the time being, France mainly has methanizers to transform organic matter into electricity or heat (945 in 2021). Much less to inject biomethane into its gas network, although the trend is increasing (365 for a decade, including 151 during the past year).
As in Germany, this “green gas” still represents a minimum share of gas consumption in France: 0.92% in 2021. That is to say a production of 4.3 terawatt hours (TWh), according to the last ” panorama of renewable gases », edited by various organizations in the sector. Almost double compared to 2020.
Partially offset Russian deliveries
Unlike wind or solar power, biogas seems well on its way to achieving the objectives set by the multiannual energy program – especially since the 2020 version has revised these downwards. The government roadmap provides for 6 TWh of biomethane to be injected in 2023, and between 14 TWh and 22 TWh by 2028. With the intention of achieving up to 7% of consumption “in the event of a drop in production costs” by 2030, or even up to 10% “in the event of a greater cost reduction”. What partially compensates, according to optimistic projections, deliveries from Russia, the country’s second gas supplier behind Norway, with 17% of imports in 2020 – knowing that France imports almost all of its needs since the closure the Lacq deposit (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), in 2013.
According to the sector, this is only the beginning, and biomethane could even reach higher percentages in the time allowed. According to a study published in 2013 by the Ecological Transition Agency, France would have enough substrates to allow the production of 56 TWh in 2030 (crop residues and livestock waste), and 131 TWh in 2050 (with cover crops for it).
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