Biogas and biomethane will play an important role in achieving a cleaner energy mix and safeguarding the EU from external energy price fluctuations. Current projections estimate fossil gas to make up only between 2.5-6.6% of Romania’s energy demand in buildings by
2050 (Energy Policy Group, 2022). Achieving the European Union’s net-zero target by 2050 requires reducing natural gas usage, and decarbonising gas where reductions are not possible. Biogas and biomethane have the technical potential to replace natural gas to a significant extent as a fuel of choice, especially for industry.
The use of biogas and biomethane incurs several advantages. Notably:
- Biogas and biomethane can also build on the circular economy by improving waste management strategies and overall resource efficiency Biogas and biomethane offer the same system-level benefits as natural gas (seasonal storage, flexibility on the power market, heating, and ability to transport efficiently over distances).
- Anaerobic digestion uses the same methane from decomposing organic matter which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
- Biomethane has the technical ability to use the current gas grid, in theory avoiding some stranded assets. However, realising this benefit’s full potential requires high economies of scale, which are not yet foreseen.
- Biogas and biomethane can also build on the circular economy by improving waste management strategies and overall resource efficiency
Nonetheless, there are some limitations to what can be achieved through these alternative fuels. Despite their high technical potential, projections of future biogas and biomethane production do not always properly consider sustainability criteria, resulting in exaggerated figures. Therefore, given the value of these resources and limitations in feedstock availability, the Romanian energy sector could benefit from a regulatory framework to incentivise the production of biogas and biomethane and ensure they are targeted where they can have the greatest decarbonisation benefits.
This paper gives an overview of Romania’s biogas and biomethane strategic targets and examines the existing Romanian production potentials in the context of the sustainability criteria specified in the new Renewable Energy Directive (RED III, 2023) to illustrate the gap. The paper will then outline lessons learned from EU countries that have successfully increased their production and examine trade-offs which must be considered in any future biogas and biomethane strategy in Romania.

Nadia Maki, EPG Senior Researcher
Nadia Maki is a Senior Researcher within the Energy Systems Programme of EPG. She is an energy policy researcher focused on renewable energy financing, green technology and innovation and emerging economies.
Before joining EPG, Nadia worked as an independent evaluator for renewable energy financing schemes for the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, evaluating schemes such as the Contracts for Difference scheme and the Capacity Market scheme. Nadia has extensive experience using theory-based evaluation methods. She has also contributed to projects for DG CLIMA, DG Environment, the Research Council of Norway, UN Women, the World Health Organization and ActionAid.
Nadia holds an MSc in Climate Change, Development and Policy from the Science Policy Research Unit and the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and a Bachelors of Arts degree from Queen’s University in Canada.
Contact: nadia.maki@enpg.ro