Two-page-summary-–-Green-Gas

The document discusses the potential of renewable 'green gas', particularly biomethane, in decarbonizing heat and transport sectors to combat climate change. It highlights the growth of biomethane production in various EU countries and the importance of developing roadmaps for integrating green gas into existing energy systems. The report emphasizes the economic benefits of biomethane, including job creation and reduced dependency on fossil fuels, while suggesting that a significant portion of future gas demand could be met by renewable sources.

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Two-page-summary-–-Green-Gas

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Green gas

Facilitating a future green gas grid through the

production of renewable gas

Summary Series
IEA Bioenergy: Task 37: 2 2018

Authors: David M. Wall, Mathieu Dumont, Jerry D Murphy Edited by: Jerry D Murphy

1 Introduction
To mitigate climate change, it is essential to develop integrated and sustainable decarbonised
renewable energy systems. Heat and transport together, account for about 80% of final energy
consumption. Significant progress has been made in renewable electricity but decarbonisation of
transport fuel and heat is problematic. Gaseous renewable energy carriers, such as renewable
‘green gas’ can have a considerable impact in future energy systems and play a key role in
decarbonising heat and transport. Green gas at present is dominated by biomethane, generated
from the anaerobic digestion of organic biomass and residues produced in agriculture, food
production and waste processing.

2 Biomethane present and future

In 2015, there were 459 biogas-upgrading plants in operation in the EU producing 1,230 M Nm3 of
biomethane (European Biogas Association, 2016). The market for biomethane is still growing.
Sweden, the UK, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands have all increased their biomethane
production significantly in the last five years. In the short term, the development of green gas
projects, including the injection of biomethane to gas networks will be the primary focus of this
developing industry. Future renewable gas technologies such as gasification-methanation and
power to gas systems have been identified as methods that could contribute substantially to
greening natural gas grids of the future. Upcoming EU policy developments will likely facilitate the
development of such pathways with progressively increasing obligations on decarbonisation. In the
EC proposal of the European Commission, the share in renewable and low-carbon transport fuels
(excluding first generation biofuels and including for electrification) is required to increase from
1.5% in 2021 to 6.8% in 2030, with advanced biofuels to make up at least 3.6% by that time (EC,
2016).

3 Country roadmaps and technology

deployment
Most countries are currently still largely dependent on fossil fuels (including natural gas) to meet
their national energy demand. The concept of renewable electricity is well understood. However a
number of countries are now in the process of generating roadmaps for the deployment of renew-
able green gas; these roadmaps highlight the potential availability of biomass and technological
innovation. This report outlines the various substrates and technologies for green gas production
and examines how much natural gas can be replaced by green gas in specific countries. The logis-
tics of injecting green gas into existing gas grid infrastructure are also examined. The roadmaps
developed for accelerating the use of green gas thus far in specific countries are analysed. Utilising
all of the available deployment pathways, future production of green gas may account for 41PJ in
Ireland, 77PJ in the Netherlands, 280PJ in the UK, 1260PJ in Italy and over 100PJ in Denmark.
This represents approximately 26%, 24%, 8%, 44% and 75% of current natural gas demand in
these countries respectively and thus indicates a significant source of clean renewable energy and
the role that gas energy and infrastructure can play in the future. It is suggested that in 2050 the
same gas demand will be needed in Europe as today, however potentially 76% of the gas could be
green (EURATIV, 2017).

4 Cascading Bioenergy
Cascading renewable gas systems will become a very important tool in maximising the quantities
of green gas production and ensuring sufficient sustainability. An example of cascading bioenergy
could include integration of green gas technologies, to maximise sustainable renewable gaseous
fuel production whilst minimising greenhouse gas emissions. The technologies investigated in this
report (anaerobic digestion, gasification-methanation, power to gas, micro-algae biogas
upgrading) and feedstocks (energy crops, agricultural residues and wastes, food waste, micro-
algae, seaweed, woody crops) when integrated can optimise a system producing decarbonised
indigenous renewable energy. By-products of the different technologies may be further
amalgamated to ensure the use of the full supply chain and circular economy concepts. Examples
of this include CO2 from biogas used in a power to gas system to produce more green gas; solid
digestate from a biogas plant used as a feedstock for gasification; oxygen produced from
electrolysis used for the gasification process; and micro-algae biogas upgrading as a method of
offsetting the costs of traditional upgrading methods.

5 The biomethane economy

This report signifies that an indigenous biomethane resource can potentially replace significant
amounts of natural gas. Particularly in countries with well-established and closely linked gas grids,
there are good opportunities for cross-border trade and to create a market for biomethane, thus
lowering dependency on fossil fuels. Biomethane is very flexible in its application. It may be
injected directly into the existing natural gas grid allowing for energy-efficient and cost-effective
transportation. Gas grid operators can switch to a renewable gas source in a straightforward
manner and provide energy for an array of applications including electricity generation, heat and
transport. The production of biomethane from regional resources creates jobs, especially in
agriculture, supply logistics, engineering, plant construction and maintenance. Farmers can profit
in “non-food” related sectors with an alternative source of revenue through biomethane.

EC. 2016. Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the promotion of the
use of energy from renewable sources. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:3eb9ae57-faa6-
11e6-8a35-01aa75ed71a1.0007.02/DOC_1&format=PDF.
EURATIV. 2017. Gas lobby chief: ‘In 2050, 76% of gas could be renewable’. Available from:
http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/interview/gas-lobby-chief-in-2050-76-of-gas-could-be-renewable/.
European Biogas Association. 2016. 6th edition of the Statistical Report on European anaerobic digestion industry and
markets.

IEA Bioenergy, also known as the Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) for a Programme of Research, Development and Demonstration
on Bioenergy, functions within a Framework created by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Views, findings and publications of IEA Bioenergy
do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the IEA Secretariat or of its individual Member countries.