https://www.australiangasnetworks.com.au/what-is-renewable-gas
As we move away from fossil fuels, it is essential to understand how renewable gas is vital to meet our emissions goals and power our economy.
There are two primary forms of renewable gas:
- Renewable hydrogen: Produced by separating hydrogen from water.
- Biomethane: Gas captured from decomposing organic wastes from landfills, agricultural produce, and wastewater treatment facilities.
In South Australia, our future lies with hydrogen.
We are fortunate to have one of the best environments on earth for solar generation. The only downside is that our electrical grid needs a steady supply.
Reliance on solar can cause problems in winter or spells of cloudy weather. However, hydrogen can solve this problem.
Hydrogen is not a new magical substance. It is the simplest and most abundant element on earth.
Like natural gas, it is a powerful fuel capable of heating homes or hot water or being used to generate baseline electricity.
Even more importantly, when it produces only water vapour, it helps to reduce our carbon footprint.
The trouble is that, until recently, hydrogen has been too energy-dependent to produce at the scale needed for widespread use.
South Australia can take advantage of being one of the sunniest places on earth and generate plenty of solar power to power the electrolysis process, making clean, cheap hydrogen for both industrial and domestic use.
What does this have to do with me?
South Australia’s electrical grid is not capable of 100% electrification. We need a diversified energy system to ensure people can heat their homes, cook their meals, and bathe their children without causing prices to skyrocket and our grid to collapse.
Hydrogen can be gradually introduced into our natural gas supply, reducing greenhouse emissions without affecting existing appliances.
At the experimental Tonsley Village, heaters and hot water systems are already running on a natural gas blend with 10% hydrogen.
As hydrogen becomes more available, it will continue to roll out across the state gas network, and the strain on our electrical grid will continue to reduce, all without significant infrastructure costs or wastage.
To find out more, speak to the staff at Energy Hothouse, or see the links below:
https://www.australiangasnetworks.com.au/hyp-sa
To see how much you could save by switching to Natural Gas, please see the cost calculator below:
https://www.australiangasnetworks.com.au/gas-explained/about-natural-gas/savings-calculator