Policy frameworks and voluntary markets for biomethane – How do different policies influence providers' product strategies?. (June 2021)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Policy frameworks and voluntary markets for biomethane – How do different policies influence providers' product strategies?. (June 2021)
- Main Title:
- Policy frameworks and voluntary markets for biomethane – How do different policies influence providers' product strategies?
- Authors:
- Herbes, Carsten
Rilling, Benedikt
Ringel, Marc - Abstract:
- Abstract: Replacing natural gas with biomethane is an option to help decarbonize residential heating and cooling. But little biomethane is in the voluntary markets for heating. We examined biomethane-based gas tariff offerings in the UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, using qualitative content analysis and compared them to the national policy contexts. We find that current policies in all four countries under review clearly prioritize using biomethane for electricity generation and in transport, while leaving the heating market largely unregulated. Nonetheless, we find influence of policies on the heating market. Offerings in Germany show this influence in their biomethane content and underlying feedstock and in Austria regionality seems to be driven by grid charge regulations. If German policy makers want to channel more biomethane into residential heating, they are advised to harmonize competing support schemes for biomethane in electricity generation, transport and heating/cooling, waive mandatory CHP requirements, lower minimum biomethane content and to target existing, not just new, buildings. In the UK, the RHI should include residential buildings and using the Austrian refund system could help to develop biomethane tariffs from regional sources in Switzerland. Highlights: We performed a comparative policy analysis for biomethane in heating/cooling. We examined biomethane-based gas tariffs in Germany, UK, Austria and Switzerland. Policies clearly prioritizeAbstract: Replacing natural gas with biomethane is an option to help decarbonize residential heating and cooling. But little biomethane is in the voluntary markets for heating. We examined biomethane-based gas tariff offerings in the UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, using qualitative content analysis and compared them to the national policy contexts. We find that current policies in all four countries under review clearly prioritize using biomethane for electricity generation and in transport, while leaving the heating market largely unregulated. Nonetheless, we find influence of policies on the heating market. Offerings in Germany show this influence in their biomethane content and underlying feedstock and in Austria regionality seems to be driven by grid charge regulations. If German policy makers want to channel more biomethane into residential heating, they are advised to harmonize competing support schemes for biomethane in electricity generation, transport and heating/cooling, waive mandatory CHP requirements, lower minimum biomethane content and to target existing, not just new, buildings. In the UK, the RHI should include residential buildings and using the Austrian refund system could help to develop biomethane tariffs from regional sources in Switzerland. Highlights: We performed a comparative policy analysis for biomethane in heating/cooling. We examined biomethane-based gas tariffs in Germany, UK, Austria and Switzerland. Policies clearly prioritize biomethane for electricity generation and in transport. UK policies should include biomethane in residential heating. German policies on heating, transport and electricity should be harmonized. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Energy policy. Volume 153(2021)
- Journal:
- Energy policy
- Issue:
- Volume 153(2021)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 153, Issue 2021 (2021)
- Year:
- 2021
- Volume:
- 153
- Issue:
- 2021
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2021-0153-2021-0000
- Page Start:
- Page End:
- Publication Date:
- 2021-06
- Subjects:
- Heating -- Renewable energy -- Marketing -- Biomethane -- Biogas -- Policy
Energy policy -- Periodicals
Politique énergétique -- Périodiques
Electronic journals
333.79 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03014215 ↗
http://www.elsevier.com/journals ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112292 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0301-4215
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 3747.720000
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British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 23360.xml