Ukraine plans to finalize 2026 with a production of around 150 million cubic metres of biomethane

The European Investment Bank is keen to support the development of irrigation systems and biomethane production in Ukraine. 

The development of irrigation and drainage systems, the implementation of investment projects in the field of land reclamation and water resource management, and the implementation of the Irrigation and Drainage Strategy up to 2030 were key topics at the meeting between representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine and the European Investment Bank. 

The parties also discussed priority needs for the modernisation of land reclamation infrastructure and the development of a sustainable biomethane market. This will help the Ukrainian agricultural sector adapt to climate change and integrate into the EU market.

Iryna Ovcharenko, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, drew the bank’s representatives’ attention to the need for a comprehensive technical audit and certification of land reclamation systems.

“To develop effective solutions, it is necessary to assess the actual condition of the land reclamation infrastructure, carry out an inventory of the systems and identify priority sites for restoration. We need to move from piecemeal solutions to a systematic approach to the management of land reclamation and water resources. This requires a high-quality technical audit, the certification of land reclamation systems and a clear understanding of priority investment projects,” noted Iryna Ovcharenko.

The participants also discussed the need to coordinate efforts with international partners, particularly with regard to aligning future steps with projects already being developed by the World Bank.

Separately, the possibility of implementing large-scale projects related to the Danube basin and the water infrastructure of Ukraine’s southern regions was considered. Among the potential initiatives, the issue of clearing certain water bodies of strategic importance for the water supply of the Bessarabian region was addressed.

The Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture has already drafted an order on the certification of land reclamation systems, and preparations are underway for a large-scale inventory of these systems. This work is intended to form the basis for a comprehensive plan to modernise Ukraine’s land reclamation infrastructure.

For his part, Taras Vysotskyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, emphasised that exports to the EU should become the main driver of the biomethane market’s development. In particular, in 2025, Ukrainian private companies exported over 11.2 million cubic metres of domestically produced biomethane via Ukraine’s gas transmission system for the first time.

“Ukraine has significant potential for producing biomethane from agricultural waste, livestock by-products, straw and sugar beet, which meets European requirements for ‘green’ fuel. Ukraine plans to finalize 2026 with a production of around 150 million cubic metres of biomethane, and a realistic target by 2030 is to increase volumes to 500 million cubic metres,” said Taras Vysotskyi.

Among the key challenges, he cited integration into the European certification system and the creation of the necessary technical database.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue coordinating their work and further developing priority areas of cooperation in the fields of land reclamation, water resource management and the development of sustainable agricultural infrastructure, as well as the biomethane sector.