Step by step: Ukraine starts exporting liquefied biomethane to Europe
12 May 08:49
The first export of liquefied biomethane (bio LNG) in the history of Ukraine was carried out by Vinnytsia Poultry Farm LLC, part of the international food and agro-technology company MHP, the Energy Customs and the company’s press service reported, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Almost 18.7 thousand tons of liquefied biomethane were exported, with a methane content of at least 95%. MHP exported liquefied biomethane to Germany, where Vitol became the buyer.
According to the company, liquefied biomethane is produced entirely from poultry manure and other agricultural waste.
“We are turning poultry manure into a climate-friendly fuel that can already power trucks and ships across Europe,” said Adomas Audickas, MHP Group Deputy CEO in charge of bioenergy development.
The product is certified according to the ISCC EU standard and fully complies with RED II/III sustainability criteria.
What is special about this shipment?
This is the first time MHP has exported liquefied biomethane to Europe by tanker truck.
As the press service of the Energy Customs explained, before that, biomethane was exported from Ukraine exclusively through the stationary gas transportation system. To do this, producers connected biomethane plants to both the gas transportation system and gas distribution networks. Instead, liquefied biomethane is exported by specialized tankers.
Also, according to the Energy Customs, “the delivery was processed using a simplified procedure for joint transit with the EU and the NCTS Phase 5 system.” The customs office explained that this greatly simplifies the process of exporting goods from Ukraine and provides an opportunity to save time and optimize work processes. The advantage of joint transit is that goods move through all countries on the basis of a single transit document and in the absence of intermediate control by the customs of each country.
What else is known about biomethane supplies to Europe
In February 2025, the first pipeline supply of biomethane took place between Ukraine and the European Union. On February 7, Vitagro Energy LLC, part of the Vitagro agricultural holding, carried out the first-ever biomethane export operation. The company exported 67.5 thousand cubic meters of biomethane via Slovakia to Germany. The buyer of biomethane was ERU Europe.
on February 11, as reported by ExPro, Oril Leader PJSC, which is part of the MHP agro-industrial holding and has a biomethane plant, exported 27.4 thousand cubic meters of biomethane, becoming the second Ukrainian company to export biomethane. MHP exported biomethane via gas pipelines across the Ukrainian-Polish border to Germany. The buyer of the biomethane was Vitol.
Ukraine wants to become a reliable supplier of clean energy to Europe
The Memorandum of Strategic Partnership between Ukraine and the EU in the areas of biomethane, hydrogen and other synthetic gases was signed in February 2023.
In order to ensure the functioning of the biomethane market, the Procedure for Customs Clearance of Exports of Ukrainian Biomethane was approved in accordance with Order of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine No. 380 “On Amendments to Certain Regulatory Legal Acts of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine on Customs Affairs”. The relevant Procedure came into force in September 2024.
As a reminder, in March last year, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law regulating the export of biomethane from Ukraine. The adopted law stipulates that customs control and customs clearance of biomethane will be carried out in the same manner as for natural gas.
The technically achievable potential of biomethane production, as stated in the explanatory note to the draft law, is up to 10 billion cubic meters per year, and by 2030 it is possible to reach 1 billion cubic meters per year.
What is biomethane?
It is purified biogas, an environmentally friendly fuel that can replace natural gas and reduce CO₂ emissions. Its characteristics correspond to those of natural gas. Biomethane can be used for heating, electricity generation, and as a fuel for transportation. Importantly, this biogas can be integrated into the gas infrastructure without additional costs for new networks, making biomethane available for widespread use.
Exporting biomethane opens up new opportunities for the agricultural sector and investors in the bioenergy sector. This is a support for the agricultural sector, as biomethane is produced from organic waste, which stimulates the development of agriculture.
