Registry Operator

AGCS is operator of the Biomethan Register Austria

The balancing group coordinator AGCS Gas Clearing and Settlement AG as neutral market player was nominated to operate the certification and registry system (Gaw Economy Law, GWG Gaswirtschaftsgesetz). The balancing group coordinator has been in operation since the Austrian market liberalisation in 2002 and has been tracking all energy amounts from injected biomethane on an hourly basis within its clearing system (balancing group system).

Following the balancing group model, in Austria produced and injected energy amounts from biomethane are tracked based on metering values which are delivered by grid operators to the Austrian balancing group coordinator who is responsible for the clearing and settlement of the Austrian imbalancing energy market. Within the monthly clearing process, the imbalancing energy is calculated, settled, and cleared for each market participant. Each biomethane plant injecting to the Austrian gas grid is already today part of the balancing group model. This means that the production volumes are documented within the balancing group system. The imbalancing energy of the biomethane plant is calculated on a daily basis. The balancing group responsible will receive the imbalancing energy invoice from the balancing group coordinator.

For the produced renewable energy amounts from the injected biomethane, the balancing group coordinator issues monthly biomethane certificates. These represent the renewable and green value of the biomethane and can be marketed separately from the physical value, however always along the gas grid to ensure the tracking of the chain of custody. The biomethane certificate documents the energy amount, quality criteria such as used substrate and production process, the production plant and the current owner.