Greece to begin biomethane production for transport sector for the first time

Greece is preparing to produce biomethane for the first time, with the renewable gas to be used as an alternative transport fuel. State-owned gas company DEPA Commercial has received the country’s first installation permit for compressed biomethane production equipment. The new facility will be developed at the existing Farma Chitas biogas plant in Filippiada, western Greece.

The Farma Chitas plant has a licensed biogas-to-electricity generation capacity of 3 MW, while its maximum biogas production capacity is equivalent to 3.6 MW. Approximately 609 kW of surplus capacity will therefore be used for biomethane production. Additional equipment occupying almost 500 m² will be installed at the site to upgrade biogas into biomethane.

The new facility will have a production capacity of up to 2.28 tons of biomethane per day, equivalent to approximately 830 tons annually under continuous operation. The biomethane will be compressed into bio-CNG and sold as a transport fuel through DEPA Commercial’s Fisikon refueling station network. Using the existing biogas infrastructure will allow part of the gas produced at the plant to be directed toward the transport sector instead of electricity generation.

Following the trial operation phase, the company plans to obtain an operating licence and bring the facility to full capacity in early 2027. DEPA Commercial says the project aims to reduce Greece’s dependence on imported energy and assess opportunities for further investment in the biomethane sector. The launch of the country’s first production facility could also pave the way for wider use of biomethane as a renewable fuel in Greece.

Tags: Greece, biomethane