Renewable Natural Gas

Natural gas is a fossil fuel, extracted from under the ground.

While natural gas emits CO2 when combusted for heating or power generation, its CO2 emissions are only about 50% that of coal and about 80% that of gasoline or diesel.

This is why natural gas is considered to be a transition fuel on the journey to Net Zero – because it can replace coal or oil but at much lower emissions.

Recent developments have made natural gas an even more attractive low carbon fuel, and this is through the production of renewable natural gas.

What is renewable natural gas?

Renewable natural gas is methane derived from biogas. Biogas itself is derived from renewable or sustainable sources such as organic waste or plant waste.

Biogas comprises about 50% methane and 45% CO2 (by volume). When one removes CO2 and other minor components such as H2S, what remains is methane – the same as natural gas.

Thus, methane derived from biogas is termed renewable natural gas and is becoming an important component in the overall biofuels mix of many countries.