Making Britain a Biomethane Superpower
Future Biogas recently published an open letter to Ed Miliband, newly appointed Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. While we commend the new government's stated ambition to turn the UK into a clean energy superpower, we believe that more attention needs to be placed on how to decarbonise the UK's unavoidable gas demand. The UK currently consumes three times more gas than electricity by energy content. We believe biomethane produced via AD to be a proven and scalable solution to gas decarbonisation – while also presenting a key opportunity to deliver permanent GHG removals. We, therefore, encourage Labour to support the UK’s growing biomethane BECCS industry by: - Incorporating biomethane into Labour’s clean energy strategy - Enabling biomethane plants to access the UK’s carbon storage facilities
- insights
An Open Letter
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Dear Secretary of State,
Congratulations on the landslide victory and on your new Cabinet post – we are delighted to see you back at the helm. We are looking forward to policy which can get the UK’s Net Zero target back on track, attracting new inward investment and growth.
Future Biogas strongly supports Labour’s vision of turning the UK into a Clean Energy Superpower. However, this vision focuses predominantly on the decarbonisation of electricity. Yet, considering the UK consumes three times more gas than electricity by energy contenti, a greater focus on the gas system is essential.
Today, the UK is the third largest producer of biomethane in Europe, generating over 6 TWh per year. However, by unlocking new feedstocks, we believe that the AD industry could produce over 100 TWh per year of biomethane – a proven and scalable solution to gas decarbonisation – while also presenting a key opportunity to deliver permanent GHG removals. We, therefore, encourage Labour to support the UK’s growing biomethane BECCS industry by:
Incorporating biomethane into Labour’s clean energy strategy
Enabling biomethane plants to access the UK’s carbon storage facilities.
Increasingly, companies are seeking biomethane to cut their Scope 1 emissions. In many cases, electrification and hydrogen are not economically or practically feasible.
Last year, AstraZeneca signed a 15-year agreement with Future Biogas to supply unsubsidised biomethane, cutting their Scope 1 emissionsii. This deal demonstrates how the biomethane industry is breaking away government subsidies, saving the Government money, while delivering truly additional green gas. Being unsubsidised, taxpayers need not foot the bill for industrial decarbonisation.
We look forward to engaging with you and your new team at DESNZ. If you and the team would like to visit an AD plant in action, we would be delighted to host such a visit. Likewise, we can also come into Westminster to meet you if that is more convenient. Yours sincerely,
Philipp Lukas
CEO, Future Biogas