The government is considering extra-budgetary support for Biogas

"Yes, public subsidies have been and are at the rendezvous of the biogas adventure: since 2011 the State has bought biogas at a price 5 to 10 times higher than that of fossil gas to allow this sector to emerge" , she declared at the annual gas congress organized by industry professionals.

"But this support must also know how to evolve with the growth and maturity of the industry," she continued.

"This decrease was announced and known to all for 18 months", it "was concerted and took into account the cost data communicated by the sector", insisted the minister.

It responded directly to concerns and criticisms expressed by professionals. The president of the French Gas Association (AFG) Patrick Corbin had just previously deplored the "uncertain future" of the sector.

"We are not insensitive to the budgetary problems of the State but we really want the strengths of this energy to be really taken into account", he declared at the opening of the congress.

The public authorities have in particular a project to review the purchase tariff for biomethane injected into natural gas networks, raising concerns in the methanization sector.

"We must also think about extra-budgetary support mechanisms", however, said the minister.

She thus cited the "Méthaneuf" device, "an interesting track that I asked my services to explore".

"It is about making new constructions pay a share of support for biomethane," she explained.

Ms. Pompili also cited a new call for projects to "develop demonstrators of solutions for the competitiveness of the anaerobic digestion industry". It should benefit from a budget of more than 20 million euros from Ademe, the Ecological Transition Agency.

The gas sector is also very worried about the future new environmental regulation for new buildings, known as "RE 2020", which it accuses of promoting electricity.

"The consultations are still underway" and "I can have certain convergences on the points that you underlined but it is still too early to speak about it", indicated Mrs. Pompili.