HOW BIOMETHANE GAS WILL HELP BUILD A GREENER BRITAIN
What are the challenges currently facing the sector ? Zennaro sees biomethane as one of a growing number of renewable solutions that will need to be utilised in order to further decarbonise the UK ’ s energy sector . However , there are a number of legislative obstacles to its growth
“ The main issue is that the policy landscape keeps changing ,” she adds . “ It ’ s very difficult for investors and developers to know what level of support we ’ ll have by the time they build a plant and the plant becomes operational .”
Biomethane plants are reliant upon the UK government ’ s Renewable Heat Incentive - a policy introduced in 2011 in which the government pays a tariff on each kilowatt hour of biomethane injected into the grid . In recent years , the tariff has been cut through a budget control mechanism designed to apply reductions if a particular technology is developing too quickly .
In addition , suitable fuel for an anaerobic digester can be surprisingly difficult to come by . The government intends to restrict the growth of energy crops because of concerns that they will displace land that could be used for growing food crops . It follows that the industry could turn to food waste for fuel , but even that is easier said than done :
“ Forty-five percent of local authorities in England are not collecting food waste , because food waste collections are quite costly ”, Zennaro says .
So , could biomethane ever become a market rival for traditional gas ? Policy restrictions aside , it is unlikely that biomethane will ever usurp natural gas singlehandedly . But this isn ’ t to say that it won ’ t account for an integral portion of the UK ’ s energy mix .
“ We could probably meet 20 percent of the UK gas demand by 2030 or 2035 ”, Zennaro says . “ There is a huge opportunity for biomethane to fuel heavy vehicles , buses , and decarbonise the transport sector , as well . We really lag behind in terms of achieving our target for renewable transport , and the Department for Transport really sees biomethane not just to decarbonise the transport sector , but to improve air quality , which is the other important issue .”
“ There is huge potential , that ’ s the bottom line .”
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