Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
connections. As a consequence, legal frameworks have been set up in
Europe. One of the most developed examples has been described in detail in
this chapter - the Gas Network Access Ordinance (GasNZV) in Germany.
This is often considered the 'Highway Code' for biomethane. The
Renewable Energy Sources Act has become the driving force for capacity
building of biomethane production and grid feed-in in Germany.
Similar legal frameworks are being implemented in other countries as
biomethane production and use continue to grow rapidly. Biomethane is a
flexible fuel that can be used wherever natural gas is used without any need
to change settings on equipment designed to use natural gas. In regions
where a natural gas grid already exists, there is a ready-made system for
biomethane distribution with minimal needs for new investments beyond
making grid connections.
The main challenge facing biomethane grid injection is cost. Also, in the
future, there will be a growing need to balance gas supply and demand,
particularly in low-pressure parts of the network and at times of low
demand such as in the summer months. Managing the whole natural gas/
biomethane grid with very many injection points will become a greater
challenge as the amount of biomethane injected increases. At the same time,
there is a strong potential benefit to be harnessed - using the storage
capacity of the gas grid to allow compensation for fluctuations in power
production from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
16.8 Sources of further information and advice
Burmeister, F. and Senner, J. (2009) Examination of basic scientific principles for
adding bio-gas to the natural gas grid, gwf Gas Erdgas, Heft 13/2009 (http://
www.gwi-essen.de/fileadmin/documents/hgv/gwf_Heft_13-2009_Senner.pdf).
Electrigaz. Feasibility Study - Biogas upgrading and grid injection in the Fraser Valley,
Report for British Columbia Innovation Council, June 2008. (http://www.
catalystpower.ca/pdf/fvf.pdf).
German Energy Agency (http://www.biogaspartner.de).
International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 37, Energy from Biogas. (www.
iea-biogas.net).
UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Biomethane into the gas
network: a guide for producers, December 2009 (http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/
decc/what%20we%20do/uk%20energy%20supply/energy%20markets/
gas_markets/nonconventional/1_20091229125543_e_@@_biomethane
guidance.pdf).
16.9 References
CBP (2005) European Association for the Streamlining of Energy Exchange-gas
(EASEE-Gas). Common Business Practices, CBP 2005-001/02: Harmonization
of Natural Gas Quality.
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