Barometer for renewable gases in Switzerland, edition 10, October 2026

The tenth edition of the Barometer for Renewable Gases shows how economic viability, infrastructure and market access are shaping the ramp-up of hydrogen and biomethane.

Biomethane remains a more cost-effective option for decarbonisation than green hydrogen. However, cross-border trade and the recognition of guarantees of origin are still obstacles. The EU aims to remove them with a common Union Database (UDB) and a biomethane mechanism. Whether and how Switzerland will be included remains open. A new PSI study also identifies considerable domestic production potential for renewable methane, but does not take economic viability into account.

For hydrogen, high costs and uncertain sales markets are slowing the ramp-up in Europe. While Germany is building its hydrogen core network, the Federal Council has for now decided against a financial guarantee for the Swiss hydrogen transit pipeline. Regional approaches such as the H₂-Lab Lake Constance–Alpine Rhine can support the ramp-up by gradually bringing together production, offtakers and infrastructure.

The Swiss Gas Industry Association (VSG) publishes the barometer in collaboration with E-Bridge Consulting and Polynomics.