An Introduction to Renewable Gas

Comfort-loving citizens in the Northern Hemisphere have good reason to take an interest in the future of gas, particularly since the demand for energy from Natural Gas in winter can be several times higher than the consumption of electrical energy (DECC, 2014a), and the rates of insulation renovations for old, draughty buildings can be slow. Unlike electricity, it is possible to store gas from season to season, making it a practical energy vector; extended storage means that gas production can be averaged out throughout the year. However, the use of Natural Gas in the long term is in some doubt as it is a fossil fuel and its combustion disturbs the deep geological carbon cycle, thus contributing to global warming. It is therefore appropriate to consider whether there might be viable low carbon alternatives to Natural Gas. Biogas, naturally occurring from the microbiological decomposition of biomass, has much to offer, but its advancement may well be hampered by changing patterns of land use, including constraints imposed by climate change. Enhanced and advanced biogas processing techniques could compensate, giving higher yields of gas from biomass (e.g. Luo and Angelidaki, 2012), although gas produced with any biological processing steps could remain slow. Consequently, industrially manufactured low carbon gas holds the most promise in terms of production volumes, although its development depends on adaptations and integration across several sectors of the economy.