Biomethane News - CNG Services

Regulatory Round-UpManaging Director of CNG Services, John Baldwin isChairman of the Renewable Energy Association'sBiogas Group. The following sets out key developmentsin the last few months:• JB attended a Ministerial Round table meeting inJuly hosted by Ministers Greg Barker (DECC) andLord Henley (DEFRA). It was agreed to develop anAD Action Plan which would remove the remainingbarriers to the development of a thriving anaerobicdigester market in the UK. Subsequently Johnwas appointed at Chairman of the ‘Smarter WorkingModels” workstreams that are developing the ADStrategy. This is expected to be published by DECC/DEFRA in May 2011 and will set out how the industryis to move forward.Biomethane NewsServices is the only UK member inCNG the German Energy Agency (DENA)“Biogaspartnership” project. The project aims toform a leading platform for the injection of biogasinto the gas grid. Although Dena’s role is of a neutralfacilitator for the acquisition and preparationof information and its distribution, Germany setsa prime example of the potential of BtG, as shownby the growth of the country’s biomethane market(see graph).• On behalf of the REA, JB has attended a numberof meetings of the Uniform Network Code ReviewGroup 251 to discuss the issues associated withenrichment of biomethane. There is consensusamongst this group (which includes all main gastransporters and gas suppliers) that it is appropriateto add propane, the costs associated with thisshould be taken into account by DECC when thelevel of RHI is set.• Following on from the success of the Didcot andAdnams projects, a 'Green Gas Certificate' schemehas been introduced which will allow the biomethaneenergy that enters the grid to be tracked andallocated properly to any consumers. This will allow,for example, supermarkets to have their food wastemade into biomethane and injected into the grid withan equivalent amount of natural gas taken out ofthe gas grid at a distribution depot and used to deliverfood to stores by fuelling dual fuel CNG/Dieseltrucks. For more information see page 7.• The REA Biogas Group has a Compressed Biomethane(CBM) sub-group and this has made a numberof proposals to DfT (Department for Transport) inorder to promote CBM as a vehicle fuel. Proposalsinclude making CBM duty free, offering 2 RenewableTransport Fuel Certificates and allow a higher GVWfor 3.5te vans that have CBM storage tanks to preventloss of payload (as is approved in the Frenchmarket) without affecting their vehicle categorisation.ReaseheathFarm slurry is a significant contributor to UK methaneemissions. As such, having AD plants on farms isseen as a highly attractive option to prevent methaneemissions and also create renewable energy. However,small individual farm AD plants are often noteconomic.CNG Services have completed a Feasibility Study forReaseheath College as part of a Rural DevelopmentProgramme for England funded project that analysesthe potential of joining farms together into a biogassystem, with a larger plant allowing BtG.The model presented is based on the formation of'clusters' of farms across the Cheshire area. The farmsin each cluster would first transport slurry to a centralAD plant to produce biogas; this would then be pipedto a single clean-up and upgrading facility at a gridinjection point. Not only would harnessing the biogasproduce a clean, renewable source of energy but puttingthe digestate by-product back onto the farmlandwould reduce the need for expensive and environmentallydamaging mineral fertilisers.For details please contact:terry.williamson@cngservices.co.uk