Renewable Gas
Bord Gáis, in association with UCC and Ernst & Young, produced a report 'The Future of Renewable Gas in Ireland' which outlines how grass and waste can be converted into natural gas that can then be used locally or piped into the national grid for distribution around Ireland. The report estimates that 7.5% of Ireland’s natural gas demand could be met by renewable gas, the equivalent of heating 300,000 homes each year.
Capturing this renewable gas resource would be a considerable step in addressing Ireland’s challenging renewable energy and waste management objectives and in reducing our dependence on energy imports.
The technology is already in use in other countries: for example, farmers in Denmark and Germany have formed co-operatives to finance, build and run such renewable gas facilities. In Stockholm, the city treats municipal waste to create natural gas for use as a transport fuel. This would be an option in Ireland also, as Bord Gáis is currently trialling a production-line natural gas vehicle (NGV) in its fleet. Cities such as Madrid are strong advocates of NGVs for public transport and fleet operators, to reduce both carbon and other emissions.