The share of renewable gas in the gas supplied by Gaznat to its customers within its balance area stood at 4.9% in 2025.
This share of renewable gas in the distributed mix is steadily increasing, showing a 47% rise compared to 2024 (3.3%).
IN SWITZERLAND
In 2025, 566 GWh were generated in Switzerland and fed into the grids, an increase of +7% compared to 2024. At the time of this writing, figures regarding imports of certificates of origin for 2025 are not yet available. ASIG members aim to replace 30% of the natural gas consumed for heating applications by 2030, which represents approximately 15% of the gas imported into Switzerland. If growth continues at this pace, this target should be met or even exceeded. However, this is only one step toward the complete decarbonization of gas distributed in Switzerland by 2050, as outlined in the Confederation’s energy strategy.
Biomethane distributed in Switzerland
In the GAZNAT area
The share of renewable gas in the network reached 4.9% in 2025, representing a 47% increase compared to 2024. A total of 118 GWh was produced by partners and injected into their networks, while 313 GWh came from purchases of European certificates.
Gaznat supports its partners in their decarbonization efforts by offering renewable products. These include Swiss or European “biomethane” certificates of origin, as well as long-term contracts with facilities in Europe that link certificates of origin to the gas produced by those facilities.
Outlook for 2026 and Beyond
In Switzerland, available volumes of biomethane are limited. As previously explained, new biomethane production facilities in Switzerland are now supported by investment subsidies following the enactment of the new CO2 Act. To reach a minimum share of 15% by 2030, imports will be necessary. However, the biomethane currently imported via pipeline – that is, the combination of CH4 and certificates of origin – is not recognised by Swiss customs as renewable, thereby obliging importers to pay the CO2 tax. This issue, which has been known for several years, has not yet been resolved.
Since the revision of the CO2 Law in 2024, however, companies that have entered into a target agreement with the federal government may count imported biomethane toward their CO2 balance. Implementing this option requires agreements between Switzerland and biomethane-producing countries, so that the latter transfer to Switzerland the decarbonization benefits of these exports.
However, the CO2 Law still does not provide for a CO2 tax exemption for biomethane used for heating. The federal energy transition strategy is based on the assumption that there is not enough biomethane and that available quantities must be reserved for industrial applications requiring gas combustion. This assumption of scarcity does not hold true on the European market at the time of this writing. Large quantities of European biomethane are seeking buyers.
Some projects to develop biomethane production plants are awaiting long-term buyers for their product in order to move forward, and prices for European biomethane certificates are currently falling.
The Swiss Confederation’s 2050 target will be met in part with biomethane. The remainder will consist of synthetic gas, that is, methane (CH4) produced from green hydrogen (water electrolysis) and CO2 (methanation process) or from natural gas coupled with CO2 capture systems. Gaznat is actively engaged in research and development in these areas in collaboration with EPFL. Synthetic gas is still too expensive to make a significant contribution to decarbonizing the energy mix in the short term (by 2030). Ultimately, it will help achieve the Swiss Confederation’s net-zero target by 2050.