Waste not, want not

Half of Britain’s domestic gas needs could be met by turning waste into biogas, according to the latest report from National Grid.

The UK currently generates around one per cent of its energy from biogas produced by landfill and sewage plants.

This gas, however, is used to generate electricity at efficiency levels of around 30 per cent.

According to the report, if it were injected into the gas grid, then this could be delivered straight into consumers’ homes and utilised for heating at efficiency rates in excess of 90 per cent.

This would help achieve renewable energy targets by 2020.

Biogas can be produced via anaerobic digestion, which turns wet waste like sewage into biomethane, and gasification, which is typically used for drier wastes.

Following Europe’s lead (where biomethane is already being injected into gas grids) the report claims that these processes will allow Britain to reach its energy targets by 2020.