RENEWABLE GAS : Biomethane in Australia
Biomethane is interchangeable with natural gas and is produced from organic material (waste and agricultural residues). There is a potential national resource of 371PJ p.a. currently not being utilised to its full potential. This equates to 80% of east coast domestic gas demand (1) !
Renewable gas as we see it : energy360
- Biomethane technology, including grid injection, has been proven overseas – with 57PJ p.a. in U.S. and 45PJ p.a. in Europe (2)
- Biomethane as a commodity can open wide market uses:
- As a clean, renewable gas supply for all gas users (gas produces 14% of national carbon emissions) and to support the role of gas in balancing the grid
- Converted to vehicle fuel (bio-diesel, CNG, etc) to provide national fuel security and decarbonise the transport sector (transport 11% of national carbon emissions)
- A biomethane sector can create 3 times more ongoing jobs (per unit of energy) over utility scale renewables (solar, wind, hydro etc.) (3)
- The Federal Government is supporting a new biomethane ERF Method
Australian Biomethane sector needs:
- The ability for projects to generate ACCUs (i.e. ERF Method)
- Increased supply of feedstock – achieved by including Agriculture waste in Method design
(1) Deloitte Access Economics, 2017, Decarbonising Australia’s gas Distribution Network
(2) American Gas Foundation, 2019. European Commission, 2017
(3) IRENA, 2019, Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Review 2019
Australian customers want to buy Renewable gas!
The Australian public want Renewable gas, in fact they expect renewable gas to be an integral component of the Australian gas supply chain.
#renewableenergy
During their engagement program 87% of customers considered it very important or extremely important that AGN consider ways to lower carbon emissions. In response they have proposed to offset a portion of the UAFG with renewable gases. And when they explored potential new initiatives with customers at workshops, this was the highest ranked option.