Page 6 - 10. Gi_Dec-Jan2019_LR
P. 6
NEWS | INDUSTRY
UK set for surge in plants
producing ‘green gas’
More businesses are seeing
the potential of biogas
THE UK IS EXPECTED West England, the East of sustainable gas supplies for led the world in cutting
to see a big increase in England, South Yorkshire, homes and businesses for emissions while growing
biomethane plants with the Midlands and parts of decades to come, and help our economy – with clean
predictions of a 50 per the South East), the amount to reduce the country’s growth driving incredible
cent rise in the number of biomethane currently greenhouse gas emissions.” innovation and creating
operating by 2020. entering distribution pipes There are currently 48 hundreds of thousands of
The four gas distribution meets demand for heating applications with Ofgem for high quality jobs.
networks (GDNs) which 114,000 homes – the permission to operate new “I’m delighted to see how
manage the pipes these equivalent demand from a plants. This would take the many more businesses
plants connect to – Cadent, city the size of Coventry. number of UK plants from and organisations, such as
SGN, Northern Gas However, these plants 98 to 146. Cadent, are seizing this multi-
Networks and Wales & West have the capacity to Charlotte Morton, Chief billion pound opportunity to
Utilities – are joining forces increase output to meet Executive of the Anaerobic energize their communities
to facilitate this anticipated local demand (for example, Digestion & Bioresources to tackle the very serious
growth in a gas that uses in colder months), to Association, said: “The threat of climate change.”
the nation’s waste and volumes that would heat restoring of higher tari£s Biomethane is made
other feedstocks to make more than 190,000 homes. and introduction of when biodegradable matter,
grid-quality biomethane, This is more than the tari£ guarantees for the such as food waste, sewage,
according to Network. supply needed to meet Renewable Heat Incentive manures, or energy crops,
These plants stop organic demand from a city the size (RHI) will give the UK’s is fermented in anaerobic
waste going to landll, where of Liverpool or Manchester. biomethane industry a digesters. This produces gas
it decays and produces Tina Hawke, Design much-needed boost. which we can use to heat
gases more harmful to the Manager and lead in this “We are expecting homes and power heavy
environment than carbon. area for Cadent and Chair as many as 50 new goods vehicles.
For example, 16 per cent of of the Energy Networks biomethane facilities to No changes are needed
UK methane emissions come Association’s biomethane be built over the coming to the UK’s existing
from manure management. group, said: “The evidence is 18 months as a result gas pipe network, or
Instead, it’s used to make now pointing to fast growth of the changes, with an domestic appliances, to
gas that heats thousands of for biomethane – we accompanying investment accommodate expansion
homes and powers heavy know there are around 50 of £300-£400 million.” of this source of green gas.
goods vehicles. applications for new plants Claire Perry, Minister Customers would continue
In Cadent’s network going through the system. for Energy and Clean to use gas through the same
area (covering North “This will provide safe, Growth, said: “The UK has pipes they have now. ■
6
News.indd 1 15/11/2018 14:22
