Towards a green grid

Connecting biogas producers

To reach our goal, we need to connect more biogas producers to the gas grid. Even though Sweden already has a high share of biogas in the system, most of it comes from imports. There is strong interest in joining the grid, both from existing and planned biogas producers, but not all are located close to the current infrastructure. To reach them, we need to expand the grid.

Right now, we are in discussions with around 20 existing and planned biogas producers in Skåne and Halland who have expressed interest in connecting. Together, they could supply the grid with 1–2 TWh of biogas – equivalent to about a quarter of today’s consumption. Additional facilities are also expected to join, bringing the total potential volume to around 2.5 TWh.

Liquefied biogas increases the attractiveness of joining the grid

By liquefying biogas, it becomes possible to transport it beyond the gas grid – or to use it as fuel for ships and heavy road transport. For an individual producer, investing in their own liquefaction plant can be a major and risky undertaking. By building and connecting liquefaction facilities to the grid, we make it more attractive for producers to join – while at the same time creating a larger market for biogas.

Our first project is a liquefaction plant at the Port of Gothenburg, with a capacity of 250 GWh, planned to be operational in 2026.

Investments in new technologies are needed to reach the goal

Today, biogas is mainly produced through anaerobic digestion of materials such as manure and sludge. Even if more producers connect to the grid, there is a natural limit to the amount of feedstock available. To achieve a fully green gas grid, we therefore need investments in new technologies – such as gasification, methanation, or digestion of new types of feedstock.

At Nordion Energi, we actively initiate and participate in projects aimed at bringing these technologies to market and connecting them to the grid. We are currently in dialogue with projects that could supply around 6–7 TWh of gas, with more on the way. The potential is significant – but so too are the uncertainties compared to conventional technologies.

Grid adjustments are needed as domestic production grows

Today, most of the gas in the Swedish grid is imported via Denmark. As the share of domestically produced biogas increases, it places higher demands on us as grid operators – to ensure gas quality and to manage flows moving in new directions. Meeting this challenge requires investments in new equipment and in connecting existing networks.

Together, we can reach the goal

Investments in the gas grid can enable a transition to domestically produced biogas – benefitting both the climate and Sweden’s energy security. But in the end, it is the market players who decide what type of gas to sell and buy. To succeed, we need to work together – with customers, producers, and political decision-makers who can create the conditions that make biogas the natural choice.

We’re doing our part – but it’s only together that we can reach the goal.