UK residents back green gas, survey finds
More than three quarters of UK residents view biomethane in a positive light, a new study has found.
The representative survey, conducted by market survey analysts Usurv on behalf of the UK’s Renewable Energy Association (REA), found that the 84% of people in the UK would like to switch to using green gas in their homes.
The study was conducted in light of Biomethane Day 2016, which is organised by the REA, and takes place on 20 April, 2016. According to the REA, the day will show how the UK now leads the world in green gas production. In the UK, green gas injected into the gas grid has been used for industry and transport, but is now also available to domestic consumers in their homes.
Dr Kiara Zennaro, head of REA Biogas, said: “We feel that 2016 and the following years are going to be a real breakthrough year for biomethane, taking its place as the UK’s leading renewable heat technology.”
“As well as making a real contribution to climate change and the circular economy, green gas also means that our central heating systems and our nationwide gas grid have a future in a renewable energy world. We’ve also seen major companies like Waitrose starting to use biomethane for transport, helping to decarbonise heavy goods vehicles.
“Biomethane Day is now in its fifth year and is without question the one place you can find out everything you need to know about the big opportunities green gas offers.”
According to the REA, the fifth annual Biomethane Day will celebrate the fact that the UK’s Biomethane to Grid (BtG) market has matured into the “fastest growing, most innovative and diverse BtG market in the world”.
In the space of four years the UK has gone from one biomethane plant injecting gas into the gas grid, to 63 this March. This means annual biomethane production is around 3 TWh.
Opening the conference will be Alan Whitehead MP, speaking about ‘The Potential for Green Gas to Decarbonise Heat’. Whitehead is a Member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and a shadow minister in Labour's Energy and Climate Change Team.
Other speakers on the programme are from the REA, Ofgem, National Grid, Wales and West Utilities, the Department for Transport, Barrow Green Gas and CNG Services.
Biomethane has had the support of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and can also be ‘tracked' through the UK gas grid using the Green Gas Certification Scheme (GGCS), which is growing the market as many companies want to use biomethane to reduce their carbon emissions.
