Recognising the value of ‘green gas’

As the UK continues to strive to meet 2050 carbon reduction targets, green gas is playing a role alongside renewable electricity. Green gas (biomethane) is increasingly exported to the grid to play a role in decarbonising transport fuel and heat, rather than being burnt off to generate electricity.

What makes it ‘green’?

Green gas is produced from environmentally friendly sources (e.g. anaerobic digestion and landfill gas, although the former is more common). Carbon dioxide is removed, and the resultant green gas prepared for injection into the grid, replacing the need for fossil-fuel derived natural gas and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Certification of green gas:

In the same way that renewable electricity is tracked and reported with Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin certificates (REGOs), there is a certification scheme in place for green gas.

Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin (RGGOs) track each kWh of green gas, documenting origin information, such as where, when and how it was produced. These certificates help provide certainty to businesses procuring green gas and can support with carbon footprint reporting, ensuring they can reduce scope one emissions associated with the gas they consume.

Increasing demand for green gas:

Companies which are leading the way in carbon reduction efforts, by procuring 100% natural renewable electricity, are now looking to take steps to consider how to ‘green’ their gas consumption. By procuring green gas, companies can actively support producers that have adopted sustainable, low emission gas generation technologies. Read more about Green Gas Certificate Scheme guarantees online.

In the September 2019 Energy Trends Report issued by Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK demand for gas increased by 3.9% in the second quarter of 2019 to 180 TWh, compared with the same period in 2018. In addition to this upward trend for the quarter demonstrating an increase in demand over a short recent period, it also telling of the UK’s dependence on gas day-to-day to provide heat, transport fuel and support with electricity generation.

As well as striving to reduce consumption, and work to develop alternatives to gas, it will be important while still a large part of our energy mix, to work to decarbonise gas and ‘go green’.

Commenting on the need to drive forward green gas initiatives, Jesse Scharf, Scheme Manager for the Green Gas Certification Scheme, said, “Green gas is rising in importance as businesses and domestic gas users realise the value of looking for more sustainable ways to purchase and support green gas development. In the years to come as carbon reporting efforts gain greater traction, the Green Gas Certification Scheme can help provide the certainty everyone needs to buy green gas and improve our energy mix.”

Find out more about RGGOs and the Green Gas Certification Scheme via their dedicated website