A draft bill for the development of Greece’s biomethane sector is ready and set to be forwarded for consultation, deputy energy minister Alexandra Sdoukou has told a conference organized by the Hellenic Association of Biogas Producers (HABIO/ESPAV).

Consultation on the draft bill will, according to the energy ministry plan, begin with a closed procedure involving biomethane producers, supply companies, gas operators and other public entities directly associated with the sector, to provide initial comments and observations on the draft bill for preliminary corrections.

The consultation procedure will then continue as normal with the aim of being completed by the end of the year so that legislation procedure may begin early in 2024.

The ministry opted for a double-staged consultation procedure believing it will bring the shape of the legislative proposal as close as possible to completion, having taken into account the views of market officials. A similar route was followed to update the National Energy and Climate Plan.

Investment support for the biomethane sector will be sought through the REPowerEU facility, introduced by the European Commission, in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, to end the EU’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels before 2030.