Earlier this week, the Irish Farmers Journal reported on the European biogas industry’s reaction to the EU green recovery plan.

The European Biogas Association (EBA) welcomed the Commission proposal for an EU recovery plan, noting that the proposal includes crucial support for the biogas industry.

Momentum for biomethane and other renewable gases continues to grow across the region.

In Britain, the five gas network companies there (Cadent, National Grid, NGN, SGN and Wales & West Utilities) have called on the government to provide over £900m of investment in green gas network infrastructure across the country as part of its economic response to the COVID-19 crisis.

This move would kick-start the development of the world's first zero-carbon gas grid in the UK.

Zero carbon hydrogen

The call comes as the Energy Networks Association (ENA) publishes new research showing that if investment into zero-carbon hydrogen infrastructure began today, then the country would be a net beneficiary of that investment before 2045, five years ahead of its 2050 net zero carbon emissions target and saving bill payers £89bn by that date.

Gas network companies are urging the government to back its zero carbon commitment package of £904m of investment both as part of its plans for the UK’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and its long-term decarbonisation policy.

The commitment includes plans to invest:

  • £446m in new network infrastructure for projects that roll out the industrial use of hydrogen, as well as domestic trials. This includes £391m of investment in engineering and design work for carbon, capture, utilisation and storage projects in the north-west of England, Aberdeenshire and the Isle of Grain.
  • £264m in ‘cross-cutting’ projects that will expand the capacity of local gas networks to connect more hydrogen and bio-methane generation projects, transport refuelling stations, and ensure network operators have the right systems in place to manage the gas used by those connections.
  • £150m for running new, large scale trials of domestic appliances providing hydrogen heating, cooking and transportation appliances connected to the gas grid, starting in controlled environments, before moving on to unoccupied and finally occupied premises.
  • £44m in projects to understand how to blend an increasing amount of zero carbon hydrogen with the natural gas currently used in our gas networks, to gradually replace it.