Biomethane is one of the most promising renewable gases (hereafter – RG) – a flexible and easily storable fuel, and, when used along with the natural gas in any mixing proportion, no adjustments on equipment designed to use natural gas are required. In regions where natural gas grids already exist, there is a system suitable for distribution of the biomethane as well. Moreover, improving energy efficiency and sustainability of the gas infrastructure, it can be used as total substitute for natural gas. Since it has the same chemical properties as natural gas, with methane content level greater than 96 %, biomethane is suitable both for heat and electricity generation, and the use in transport.Biomethane is injected into the natural gas networks of many Member States of the European Union (hereafter – the EU) on a regular basis for more than a decade, with the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Sweden and France being among pioneers in this field. In most early cases, permission to inject biomethane into the natural gas grids came as part of a policy to decarbonize the road transport sector and was granted on a case-by-case basis. The intention to legally frame and standardise the EU’s biomethane injection into the natural gas networks came much later and was fulfilled in the second half of the present decade.This paper addresses the biomethane injection into the natural gas grids in some EU countries, highlights a few crucial aspects in this process, including but not limited to trends in standardisation and legal framework, injection conditions and pressure levels, as well as centralised biogas feedstock collection points and the biomethane injection facilities. In a wider context, the paper deals with the role of biomethane in the EU energy transition and further use of the existing natural gas networks.

The Latvian natural gas system is interconnected with transmission networks located in Lithuania, Estonia and Russia. Natural gas commercial metering is provided by GMS “Karksi” (Estonia) and by GMS “Kiemenai” (Lithuania). Natural gas is supplied to all larger urban areas in Latvia. Natural gas is supplied to Latvia along the Latvian–Russian pipeline only during the warm period of the year (April–September), and it is accumulated in the underground gas storage facility in Incukalns. During winter, gas from the underground facility is delivered to Latvian customers, as well as transmitted to Estonia and back to Russia. There is also a connection to Lithuania. Out of the gas supply disruption risks that are assessed at different levels, the essential one with a trans-border impact potential consists in the insufficient technical capacity of Incukalns UGS. Given the current technical possibilities, IUGS cannot pass the gas volume required for the Baltic States to compensate the gas supply deficit. The paper performs system recovery analysis after selected critical events. The paper provides a report describing the steps to be followed in order to restore the gas transmission system to normal operation after selected critical events. A very significant region of the power system of Latvia is the central part of Latvia and Riga region, where both of Riga CHPs, as well as Riga HPP, is located. The restoration time of the gas system of Latvia depends on the gravity of the situation and damage in the gas system and may range from several hours to several days.

The publication comprises the results from the practical scientific investigation to define the profile and distinctions of the Latvian innovative multifunctional material manufacturing industry. The research is carried out by a holistic approach, including expert interviews, qualitative analysis of the official register data, practical survey, and financial data analysis. The paper seeks to give the detailed data on a technological profile of the mentioned representative companies, if there is a synergy or tough competition in the Latvian market. The current research is topical, because it is unique and does not have analogues in Latvia, and the research is timely due to correspondence with recently stated Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation in Latvia. The main findings are associated with recognition of the factors that make impact on commercialisation of the finished goods, obtained financial results and planned directions of development of the respondent companies.

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AbstractThe European Union (hereafter – the EU) takes a strong position in the global fight against climate changes by setting ambitious targets on reduction of greenhouse gas (hereafter – GHG) emissions. A binding target is to reduce those emissions by at least 40 % below 1990 levels till 2030, which would help make Europe the first climate neutral continent by the mid-21st century. Consequently, the expected 2050 emission reduction target for the EU is 80 %–90 % below 1990 levels. The EU’s new economy decarbonisation framework – The European Green Deal – outlines and summarises Europe’s ambition to become a world’s first climate neutral continent by 2050. This supposedly can be achieved by turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities across all policy areas and making the energy transition just and inclusive for all.The transport, and particularly road transport, is one of the most significant fossil fuel dependent segments of national economies across the EU. Oil dependency of all segments of the transport sector makes it the single biggest source of GHG emissions in the united Europe as well. Road transport is responsible for about 73 % of total transport GHG emissions, as Europe’s more than 308.3 million road vehicles are over 90 % reliant on conventional types of oil-based fuels (diesel, gasoline etc.).However, there is a wide range of low-emission alternative fuels for all kinds of transport that can reduce overall oil dependence of the EU’s transport sector and significantly lower GHG in road transport. Among these alternatives a tandem of the natural gas and biomethane could be named as one of the most promising for short and mid-term transport decarbonisation solutions both in the EU and Latvia.