E-methane (electro-methane) offers an innovative and practical solution for energy transition. This is possible thanks to the use of existing gas infrastructure, especially for sectors that are difficult to electrify. This is according to a new independent study conducted by consultancy Roland Berger on behalf of GasTerra and Gasunie.
The study analyses the role of e-methane in the Dutch energy transition. It compares it with other renewable energy carriers such as biomethane, hydrogen, LOHC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier), ammonia and methanol. It looked at aspects such as costs, investments, emissions, safety, land use and transport, all along the value chain from production to end use.
CO2 reduction
'The great uncertainty about the end point of the energy transition requires us to seriously explore all options to reduce CO2 emissions to zero,' says Flip van Koten, CFO at GasTerra. 'E-methane offers an opportunity to accelerate that reduction in difficult-to-sustain sectors in the Netherlands, the study shows.'
Existing natural gas network
According to Hans Coenen, member of Gasunie's Executive Board, e-methane can be introduced directly into the existing natural gas network. 'This means that no new infrastructure is needed. This makes it a cost-effective and real possibility for a number of use cases to reduce dependence on fossil natural gas.' This is also confirmed from the research.
Hydrogen
The study also shows that for some applications, other energy carriers such as hydrogen are actually a more cost-efficient solution. The various options will thus in all likelihood coexist.
What is e-methane and what is it good for?
E-methane is a carbon-neutral energy carrier. It is produced by combining green hydrogen with CO2 from biomass or via Direct Air Capture (DAC). With this, the sources for e-methane are in principle widely available. A key added value is that it is similar in composition to natural gas. This means that it can be used in the existing gas infrastructure without any modifications. Not only does this make it easy to transport and store in existing gas storage facilities. It can also be applied by end users without any modifications. The study shows that all this makes e-methane particularly suitable for a number of specific applications such as heating in the built environment, industrial process heat and central power generation.
How next?
Making the best use of e-methane requires cooperation in the energy chain. Although e-methane can already use biogenic CO2, large-scale deployment mainly depends on the further development and affordability of DAC technology. This requires more research to make the technology market-ready towards the future. 'Policymakers, industry and technology companies must work together to stimulate this research, scale up production and make rules that enable long-term investments,' said Flip van Koten, CFO at GasTerra.
Source: Gasunie
Read also: 625,0000 euros for sustainable energy production with TidalKite on Wadden Islands
