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Biogas will arrive in the UK this year

Energy crisis 21st century challenge
A machine mixes organic waste for biogas in the French city of Lille

A machine mixes organic waste for biogas in the French city of Lille

The first biogas supply is due to be delivered to the UK this year by green energy company Ecotricity.

A highly effective low-carbon energy alterative, biogas is produced from biodegradable waste such as sewage, food and wood which release emissions known as biomethane as they decay.

While biomethane is already being produced and injected into the gas grids in Europe, this is the first time it has been available in the UK.

Ecotricity - already a provider of green electricity - has pledged to connect its first gas customers next month and begin delivering biogas before the end of the year.

Speaking to BusinessGreen.com, chief executive Dale Vince said that the company was now in advanced discussions with a number of firms about delivering the first biogas pilot project.

He explained that Ecotricity would initially provide customers with conventional gas before using the money raised through their energy bills to invest in new renewable energy generation capacity.

"It is a more efficient to use biogas in the gas network than burn it to create electricity," he said.

"We will be starting with anaerobic digestion technology, but in the longer term we have our eye on biogas that can be made from algae microbes."

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Last year, National Grid issued a biogas report to the UK government stating that half of Britain's homes could be heated by renewable gas.

A spokesman confirmed that the company was "massively supportive" of plans from Ecotricity and others to get biogas injected into the grid.

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