Green gases could heat up to 15 million homes by 2050
Renewable gases could provide heat for up to 15 million homes in Britain by 2050, according a new report commissioned by Cadent.
13th October 2017 by Networks
The figure comes from the high scenario in the study, which concludes there is the potential to produce between 68TWh and 183TWh of renewable gases each year in the UK by the middle of the century.
Between 47TWh and 56TWh of renewable gases could be produced from waste feedstocks, the report states, with slightly more than four-fifths consisting of bio-synthetic natural gas (bioSNG) and the rest made up of biomethane produced from anaerobic digestion.
Non-waste feedstocks could be used to produce a further 21TWh to 127 TWh of renewable gases. Most (97 per cent) would be bioSNG, but the remaining 3 per cent would be biomethane from anaerobic digestion.
In the central scenario, around 108TWh of renewables gases would be produced annually – enough to heat around 9 million homes.
The report was compiled by energy consultancy firms Anthesis and E4tech as an update to a study on bioenergy published by the Committee on Climate Change in 2011. The findings are “broadly similar” to those of the earlier research.
“This work suggests that biomethane will continue to make an important contribution to renewable gas generation, but suggests that bioSNG has far greater potential through its greater versatility in respect of the range of feedstocks which might be processed,” the report concludes.
It says renewable gases can make a “significant contribution” to meeting emissions reduction targets, in particular supporting the decarbonisation of heat and transport, which are “currently lagging behind the electricity sector”.
The world’s first commercial operated bioSNG plant is due to open in Swindon next year. The £25 million facility is being developed by Advanced Plasma Power, Progressive Energy, the Department of Transport, Cadent, and Wales and West Utilities. A £5 million pilot plant was opened in November 2016.
Comments
Login on register to comment
Related content
Gas
Cadent backs launch of major bio-CNG HGV refuelling station
Gas network’s £250,000 infrastructure investment ensures supplies to existing connected customers have not been impacted
Gas
Editor’s blog: The biggest tests of resilience are yet to come
Network content director Jane Gray reflects on the industry's coronavirus response to date and the challenges still to come.
Gas
From the front line: Chris Garside and Andy Simcoe, Northern Gas Networks
Key workers across the power and gas networks are playing a critical role in the national response to Coronavirus. Network has committed to profiling their stories.
Related supplier content
Power
Load patterns and lockdown: how Covid-19 is impacting electricity networks
Insights into dynamics on the low voltage network as the outbreak unfolds
Heat
How E.ON. is helping the City of London become a zero emissions city
Discover Citigen. Deep in the heart of our bustling capital
Power
The Innovation Factor: Managing the transition to smart communication technologies in the electricity distribution sector white paper
The transition from legacy communications systems to new technologies can seem daunting for organisations in the electricity sector. But with market dynamics changing rapidly