Renewable gas expert welcomes government support for biomethane

BEIS confirms strategy to support Renewable Heat Incentive

John Baldwin, managing director of CNG Services Ltd, today welcomed The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announcement in relation to support for biomethane from now to 2020:

“The UK now has 78 biomethane-to-grid projects, adding an average of 25 projects per year over the last 3 years and it is reasonable to expect the market to continue to grow at this level. Once all the present plants are fully operational the production of biomethane injected into the gas grid will be around 300,000 tonnes a year; enough gas to heat around 150,000 new homes or fuel 6,000 big trucks on 100% Bio-CNG”

Biomethane is one of the technologies supported under the renewable heat incentive. The other main technologies are biomass boilers and heat pumps, both of which represent good options for households that are not connected to the gas grid. Biomethane is one of a range of new technologies that can replace natural gas. Other developments include, Bio-SNG where renewable gas is made from municipal waste; Power 2 Gas covers injection of hydrogen into the gas grid (likely to be acceptable up to 20%) and the conversion of renewable H2 into renewable methane.

Bio-CNG is biomethane delivered via the gas grid that is then made into CNG (compressed natural gas) for use in trucks. Bio-CNG offers operators near zero emissions of NOX and particulates and trucks using Bio-CNG create very little noise

“There is a long way to go to replace the current 800 TWh/annum gas demand in the UK but we have made a good start. Onshore shale gas in Lancashire is likely to have the lowest carbon footprint of any gas used in the UK which will also be a great help in reducing the overall carbon footprint of the UK economy and providing the funds to continue the lower carbon journey”

John Baldwin