Rebecca Dunn explains to us the qualities and benefits of green gas. In her guest post below she explains how ‘natural gas’ alternatives actively helps businesses reach their green targets by significantly cutting carbon emissions.
What is Green Gas?
- Green Gas comes from the breakdown (e.g. anaerobic digestion by bacteria) of plant, food or animal waste into gas (such as methane) which can go in the national gas pipes for heating and cooking.
- This is a carbon-neutral method of generating gas because it uses plant and animal waste.
What is NOT Green Gas?
- Shale gas from fracking is not Green Gas.
- Fracking extracts fossil-fuel-based gases which are not carbon-neutral and so contribute to global warming and climate change.
Useful tip: If you can trace a gas or electricity energy supply to a fossil fuel or “natural gas” source, then it will not be sustainable and will very likely contribute to Earth-warming carbon emissions.
What is good about Green Gas?
- It is a carbon-neutral method of getting gas!
- Genuine Green Gas provides an environmentally friendly alternative to fracked shale gas. This helps with our global goals to cut fossil fuel carbon emissions and reduce the rates of climate change and global warming. [1]
- Green gas uses existing gas pipelines and gas-based domestic appliances (such as a kitchen gas hob)
- This can be a more accessible green energy source for businesses and people to switch to
- This form of gas can complement solar, wind, and wave power by providing more consistent energy when these three have natural drops in their generation.
- This makes a good part of our global mosaic of strategies to generate 100% of our energy by renewable sources.
- It helps create a circular economy by making use of food and animal waste! [2] About 1/3 of food was wasted globally in 2011 [3], and animal-based farms inevitably generate faecal waste. This can make more effective use of such waste.* Or, as I like to say: Waste Not Want Not!
*Note, for those uncomfortable with an animal-based energy source: There are Green Gas energy providers who do not use animal waste.
Is it expensive?
Green energy supplies such as green gas are not only an investment in the planet; it’s an investment in ensuring that your business is sustainable for the future as more and more, fossil fuels are being replaced for cheaper, greener alternatives.
Carbon-neutral gas is a highly accessible form of energy that works with existing installments, making switching contracts an easy process.
Contact us to ask how green gas can efficiently work to power your business needs whilst reducing your carbon footprint.
Resources
[1] https://sdgs.un.org/goals
[2] Enhancing Bioenergy Recovery from Agro-food Biowastes as a Strategy to Promote Circular Bioeconomy, Elizabeth Duarte, Rite Fragoso, Nicole Smozinski, Jorge Tavares, Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems, 2020
[3] Solutions for a cultivated planet, Foley et al., Nature, 2011