Ecotricity are now all set to roll out a new way of generating gas in Britain, after several years of research and development. The new approach involves making Green Gas from grass and the first project will be submitted for planning approval later this year.
The company believes that the concept is scalable while providing a carbon neutral alternative to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) – a process that has been subject to widespread criticism across the UK on account of its potential for damaging the environment, polluting groundwater resources and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. If all goes well, green gas from grass could be rolled out across the country as an immediate replacement for imported fossil fuel gas in the grid.
“This is the beginning of a revolution in gas” said Dale Vince. “We can take what we’ve done with green electricity, which last quarter generated 22 percent of the UK’s electricity needs, and apply it to gas. Our Green Gas Mills will produce gas that is carbon neutral, supports food production and is sustainable – with the process actually improving the local environment rather than damaging it – it’s the antithesis of fracking.”
Dale added that if both the energy and agricultural sectors can grasp the opportunity, the UK can finally end the debate around fracking, because it simply won’t be needed.
The new approach involves generating gas from grass sourced from local farms, particularly given that the amount of land used for grazing cattle in the UK has almost halved according to Defra. Ecotricity has spent a lot of time over the last couple of years looking at the best way in which to supply Green Gas through the National Grid. The company originally considered the 18 million tonnes of food waste generated each year in the UK, but the problem is that this source of organic material can be inconsistent and lacking in quality, whereas National Grid wants the gas to be consistent in quality and free from contaminants. Ecotricity also believes that the carbon cost of segregating, collecting, delivering and processing food waste is questionable.
The company hasn’t stopped looking at supplies from the food industry, but it now believes that the best primary source is naturally occurring grasses from marginal grazing and lower quality arable farmland. This will increase biodiversity and provide environmental benefits in addition to generating biogas.
Ecotricity will source the grass from marginal land that was previously used for grazing livestock, encouraging wildflower growth in the process. It will also grow a grass break-crop on lower quality arable land that farmers currently use to grow feed crops for livestock. If this is done in rotation every few years this will improve the quality of the soil and bring it back into food production, with the addition of a natural fertiliser.
Anaerobic digestion will then break down the grass to produce biogas that is purified into biomethane and fed straight into the National Grid, as well as a fertiliser that can be returned to farmer’s fields to improve the soil.
Each ‘Green Gas Mill’ will power 6,000 homes, providing customers with gas that is carbon neutral while also providing a financial benefit to local farmers, supporting food production, improving land quality and ensuring the creation of wildlife habitats.
Ecotricity is currently sourcing Frack Free Green Gas from Holland, which is already connected to the UK gas grid and is also itself making Green Gas from a sugar beet waste. The company intends to submit its first Green Gas Mills for planning approval later in 2015 and is also seeking partnership with local farmers to agree supply contracts for the organic material the company needs.
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