The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced the first auction for operational support for biomethane this year. The auction is open to new biomethane production facilities, conversions of existing power plants into biomethane production facilities, and facilities for converting biogas into biomethane. However, the production facilities must be put into operation by December 31, 2029, at the latest. The total volume of energy output up for bid is set at 45 million cubic meters per year.
The support applies to biomethane produced from biogas, sewage sludge gas, or landfill gas that will be supplied to the Czech gas transmission system. The maximum reference auction price has been set at 3,000 CZK/MWh of heat, with the auctioned price increasing by two percent annually from the date the biomethane production facility is commissioned until the end of the support period.
“We are pleased that the Czech Republic will have a functional biomethane support scheme, which should stimulate the expansion of the entire sector. Auction support guaranteeing the price of biomethane for 15 years should contribute to increased investment stability in the sector, which is clearly positive in terms of making biomethane production more comprehensible for the banking sector and expanding financing options for individual projects,” says Tomáš Voltr, CEO of the EFG group.
The terms and conditions include strict criteria for the biomethane produced
The auction terms also include new requirements regarding the share of advanced biomethane and emission parameters. From the time the production facility becomes operational, the share of advanced biomethane—produced exclusively from biodegradable waste, not from crops grown specifically for this purpose—must exceed 35%; this will increase to more than 45% by 2035 and to more than 55% by 2040. At the same time, it will be necessary to meet emission intensity limits below 17 g CO₂eq/MJ, which will be gradually tightened.
Producers will also be required to ensure a minimum monthly volume of biomethane supplied to the gas grid equivalent to 75% of the facility’s maximum power output. Failure to meet these conditions will result in the loss of eligibility for support for that month.
“We intend to enter the station in Vysoké Mýto into the auctions and we are also looking at other projects that are currently in the acquisition phase. It works in our favor that the auction conditions relate, among other things, to the emissions score and the mandatory share of waste in the production mix. This condition, combined with the obligation to supply a volume corresponding to 75% of the facility’s maximum production capacity, creates pressure to use biogas plants rationally and optimize biomethane production. However, EFG has extensive experience with the successful operation of waste biogas plants, gained over 10 years of operation on the Czech market. At the same time, it once again demonstrates the strategic advantage of our own waste collection company, EFG Waste logistic. Thanks to it, we have a guaranteed supply of waste for our plants,” adds Tomáš Voltr.
Bids for the auction may be submitted from May 29 to July 31, 2026, via the data box of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
