EMN for Enegy Gases – Interview of the month!

Could you briefly explain what the EMN for Energy Gases is and outline its main mission within Europe’s evolving energy landscape?

The European Metrology Network for Energy Gases was founded in 2019. The network has 22 members among the European National Metrology Institutes and Designated Institutes. It provides measurement science expertise to society and industry to support the implementation of the energy transition to renewable gaseous fuels and decarbonisation. By bridging the gap between end-user communities and acting as a central nucleus for measurement science activities, the EMN for Energy Gases contributes to establish and facilitate a reliable, safe and diverse energy cosystem. The EMN has developed a single, easy-to-use, freely-available services platform to boost the dissemination and knowledge transfer of metrological services in the energy gases sector. Simultaneously, the EMN keeps on developing their expertise through a large portfolio of research projects.

Looking ahead to the coming year, what do you see as the key metrological challenges and opportunities for the energy gases sector, especially as renewable gases continue to scale?

We are facing an energy transition where new energy gases enter the market at an unprecedented pace. The challenge for the metrology community is to facilitate the transition and to be metrologically ready, when the industry, grid operators and regulatory bodies need traceable and reliable measurement services for a decarbonised gas market. The measurement needs differ for each energy gas and novel methodologies need to be in place. Nevertheless, a key proponent for all energy gas to be utilised as part of the energy mix is to ensure that the characteristics (both physical and chemical) of the gas or of the mix of gases do not have any adverse effects on its eventual end-use application.

How can the EMN support EBA members?

The EMN for Energy Gases can supports EBA members by providing critical metrological measurement science for the evolving energy landscape, offering access to advanced calibration/testing, allowing to verify compliance with standards for biomethane purity (like EN 16723), reducing uncertainty in measurements, facilitating knowledge transfer through projects (e.g., Metrology for Biomethane, BiometCAP, Cryomet), and acting as a central hub for stakeholders to address new challenges in renewable gas infrastructure, ensuring quality and traceability for the biogas industry.

Recent European data shows steady growth in biogas and biomethane production, with biomethane remaining the most dynamic segment. How do you interpret these developments, and which metrology gaps must be addressed to fully harness this momentum?

Europe's biogases growth signifies increased energy security, decarbonization, and circular economy integration, but faces challenges in scaling up to meet ambitious 2030 targets, requiring accurate measurements in feedstock analysis, process efficiency, conformity assessment, sustainable sourcing verification (e.g., for biofuels/certifications), and robust grid integration measurement to unlock vast untapped potential. The large variety of substrates have varied organic matter, moisture content, C/N ratios which influence the process (need for pre-treatment for example to optimize nutrient availability, microbial activity, and desired outcomes ) but also changes measurement needs.

Although biogases could potentially supply up to 101 bcm in the EU by 2040, current production remains far below this level. In your view, which metrological innovations, reference standards, or harmonisation efforts are most crucial to enable safe and accelerated scaling?

Metrology and policy harmonization are key to unlocking the potential of biogas/biomethane. To accelerate upscaling, crucial measurement needs and tools include:

a) metrology for advanced feedstock analysis (characterization of diverse organic materials like agricultural residues, manure, food waste, industrial byproducts to optimize anaerobic digestion , focusing on biochemical composition (cellulose, lignin, lipids), physical properties, and inhibitory factors to boost methane yield and process efficiency)

b) harmonized quality standards for grid injection (which tackles both methane content and maximum impurities level), traceable measurement and standards to verify compliance with those standards

c) standardized certification for sustainability/circularity which provides frameworks to measure product/system performance

d) stable market support to build confidence and integrate diverse national approaches.

e) Innovations in advanced digestion, low-cost sensor technology for real-time monitoring, and smart grid integration

6. Digestate is gaining importance as a sustainable fertiliser, with significant potential to replace nitrogen-based fertilisers in the EU. How can the EMN help EBA members improve measurement methods, traceability, and quality certification to unlock digestate’s full value in the circular economy?

Ideally, the EMN for Energy Gases could help the EBA members unlock digestate's value by standardizing analytical methods for nutrient/contaminant content, ensuring traceability through traceable reference materials, and supporting quality certification via reliable calibration, thereby building trust, reducing variability, and facilitating large-scale trade of digestate as a sustainable fertilizer. This is slightly outside of the scope of the EMN which focuses primarily on measurement for gases. However, the EMN provides expertise in gas flow, composition, density, and material testing, all vital for transforming digestate into valuable resources.