There are now 109 plants producing biomethane and injecting it into the gas distribution network, and one injecting biomethane into the national gas transmission network, according to new figures from the Energy Networks Association in its ‘Green Gas Scoreboard’.
With regards to the distribution networks, Cadent has 38 biomethane plants in its area, SGN has 35 in Scotland and the south of England, while Wales and West Utilities has 20 and Northern Gas Network has 16. The biogas is produced from feedstock arising from waste food (27%), sewage (17%) and agricultural (11%) sources as well as energy crops (20%) and mixed sources (25%). However the combined total provides the equivalent of gas for just 771,000 of the 23 million homes connected to the gas network.
The increase in biomethane injection is far outweighed by the increase in gas distribution usage from of small fleets of gas engines recently connected to the gas network to provide peaking power. The ENA’s scoreboard says there are now 201 installations of this type. Of these, the largest number -104 – are in Cadent’s areas, 44 are in WWU’s area, 22 are in SGN’s areas and NGN has 11.
The new figures also reveal the slow rollout of compressed natural gas facilities. These are sometimes seen as a way of decarbinising heavy freight transport, and it is also assumed that they will be converted to provide low-carbon gases instead of natural gas in the future. So far no CNG stations have been built in SGN’s areas, which means Scotland has none at all. In England and Wales there are four in WWU’s area and two in NGN area, but most are in Cadent’s area – it has 11 such stations.