E-methane a promising link in energy transition

Groningen
April 16, 2025

Electro (e)-methane offers an innovative and practical solution for the energy transition, thanks to the use of existing gas infrastructure, particularly for sectors that are difficult to electrify. This is shown in a new independent study carried out by consultancy firm Roland Berger on behalf of GasTerra and Gasunie. The report emphasizes that e-methane - in addition to hydrogen - can make an important contribution to a future CO2-neutral energy supply. However, long-term success depends on further scaling up, cost reduction and the supply of green electricity.

The study analyses the role of e-methane in the Dutch energy transition and compares it with other renewable energy carriers such as biomethane, hydrogen, LOHC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier), ammonia and methanol. Aspects such as costs, investments, emissions, safety, land use and transport were all examined, across the entire value chain from production to end use.

Keeping options open

“The great uncertainty about the end point of the energy transition requires us to seriously investigate all options to reduce CO2 emissions to zero,” according to Flip van Koten, CFO at GasTerra. “E-methane offers an opportunity to accelerate this reduction in sectors in the Netherlands that are difficult to make sustainable, as the research shows.” According to Hans Coenen, member of the Executive Board of Gasunie, E-methane can be directly fed into the existing natural gas network. “This means that no new infrastructure is required. Consequently, it is a cost-efficient and realistic option for a number of utilizations to reduce their dependence on fossil natural gas.” This is also confirmed by the study, which shows that for some utilizations, other energy carriers such as hydrogen are a more cost-efficient solution. The various options will therefore most likely exist side by side.

What is e-methane and where can we use it?

E-methane is a carbon-neutral energy carrier that is produced by combining green hydrogen with CO₂ from biomass or via Direct Air Capture (DAC). This means that the sources for E-methane are in essence widely available. An important added value is that its composition is compatible to natural gas. As a result it can be used in the existing gas infrastructure without any adjustments. Not only is it easy to transport and store in existing gas storage facilities, but it can also be used by end users without adjustments. The study shows that all this makes E-methane particularly suitable for a number of specific utilizations such as heating in the built environment, industrial process heat and central electricity generation.

Further steps

To make optimal use of e-methane, cooperation in the energy chain is needed. Although e-methane can already use biogenic CO₂, large-scale industrial deployment depends mainly on further development and affordability of DAC technology. More research is needed to make the technology ready for the market in the future. “Policymakers, industry and technology companies must work together to stimulate this research, scale up production and regulations to make these valuable investments possible,” says Flip van Koten, CFO at GasTerra.