Greening the Gas Grid—Evaluation of the Biomethane Injection Potential from Agricultural Residues in Austria

Bernhard Stürmer

doi:10.3390/pr8050630

Abstract

In order to implement the Paris Climate Agreement, the current Austrian coalition government has included trend-setting targets in its policy statement. “Green gas” plays a key role in this context, as the natural gas grid shall also gradually become renewable. This article analyses the technical biomethane injection potential for agricultural residues based on Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) data on a municipal level. While a technical biogas potential of 16.2 TWhCH4 from catch crops, farm manure, straw and beet leaves is available, only about half of it can be fed into the gas grid because of technical and economic reasons. Austria’s biomethane injection potential of 7.4 TWhCH4 is mainly produced in arable farming regions. In order to further increase this potential, the investment costs of biogas upgrading plants must be reduced, the use of biogenic waste and energy crops must be further promoted and an investor-friendly legal framework must be created.

Highlights

The energy sector was listed as the main greenhouse gas emitter in the first IPPC (IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change) report in 1990 [1]
TWhCH4 from catch crops, farm manure, straw and beet leaves is available, only about half of it can be fed into the gas grid because of technical and economic reasons
Municipalities with a gas network connection were identified in order to determine whether the biogas plants could become biomethane injection plants or whether electricity production represents the only way of biogas usage

Summary

Introduction

The energy sector was listed as the main greenhouse gas emitter in the first IPPC (IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change) report in 1990 [1]. Following the Paris Climate Agreement [3] and the European Green Deal [4], the current Austrian government integrated the chapter “Climate Protection & Energy” in its policy statement, which defines climate neutrality by 2040 at the latest as its overarching goal. This is to be achieved by increased energy efficiency, a phase-out plan for fossil fuels in heating and the expansion of renewable energy sources. To finance the conversion of the energy system, the government plans to leverage private money and to prepare an eco-social tax reform [5]

Methods

Results

Conclusion