Australian renewable gas certification pilot launched in NSW
New South Wales (NSW) gas customers will soon have access to verified and accredited renewable gas, such as biomethane and hydrogen.
The new Australian-first Renewable Gas Certification Pilot will drive ongoing investment in new sources of green has. Energy infrastructure firm Jemena, NSW Government-managed renewable energy accreditor Green Power, and industry association Energy Networks Australia have joined forces to develop the scheme.
The pilot will be delivered by GreenPower over a minimum of two years and will inform the development of a permanent certification scheme for renewable gases.
“We are driving the call for a national certification scheme because our customers have told us they want certainty in their ability to purchase verified and accredited zero-emission gas, just as is currently the case for renewable electricity,” said Shaun Reardon, Jemena’s executive general manager of energy networks.
“A national certification scheme will boost industry investment in renewable gases such as biomethane and hydrogen and make them available to Australian homes and businesses.
“In the short-term, it will mean our customers can lower their carbon footprint without making any changes to the way they currently use their gas appliances.
“In the long-term, it will ensure gas remains affordable through the decarbonisation of existing gas infrastructure without the need for building new alternative forms of energy infrastructure.”
The first application of the pilot will be to the Jemena and Australian Renewable Energy Agency co-funded biomethane-to-grid project at Sydney Water’s Malabar Wastewater Treatment Plant. The pilot will be built to encompass other projects as they come online.
“Australia’s inaugural biomethane-to-grid project is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the process, share learnings and insights with industry and provide customers with a level of certainty as they strive towards their environmental targets,” said Reardon.
Deloitte estimates there’s 371 petajoiles (PJ) of biomethane with the potential to be unlocked in Australia and NSW, Jemena estimates that 30 PJ of biomethane is readily available near its network, equivalent to the output of 76 GW of solar – that’s enough to supply all current Jemena residential gas customers with carbon-neutral, green gas.
The new Australian-first Renewable Gas Certification Pilot will drive ongoing investment in new sources of green has. Energy infrastructure firm Jemena, NSW Government-managed renewable energy accreditor Green Power, and industry association Energy Networks Australia have joined forces to develop the scheme.
The pilot will be delivered by GreenPower over a minimum of two years and will inform the development of a permanent certification scheme for renewable gases.
“We are driving the call for a national certification scheme because our customers have told us they want certainty in their ability to purchase verified and accredited zero-emission gas, just as is currently the case for renewable electricity,” said Shaun Reardon, Jemena’s executive general manager of energy networks.
“A national certification scheme will boost industry investment in renewable gases such as biomethane and hydrogen and make them available to Australian homes and businesses.
“In the short-term, it will mean our customers can lower their carbon footprint without making any changes to the way they currently use their gas appliances.
“In the long-term, it will ensure gas remains affordable through the decarbonisation of existing gas infrastructure without the need for building new alternative forms of energy infrastructure.”
The first application of the pilot will be to the Jemena and Australian Renewable Energy Agency co-funded biomethane-to-grid project at Sydney Water’s Malabar Wastewater Treatment Plant. The pilot will be built to encompass other projects as they come online.
“Australia’s inaugural biomethane-to-grid project is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the process, share learnings and insights with industry and provide customers with a level of certainty as they strive towards their environmental targets,” said Reardon.
Deloitte estimates there’s 371 petajoiles (PJ) of biomethane with the potential to be unlocked in Australia and NSW, Jemena estimates that 30 PJ of biomethane is readily available near its network, equivalent to the output of 76 GW of solar – that’s enough to supply all current Jemena residential gas customers with carbon-neutral, green gas.
