News from GGCS

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UK energy groups combine to bring ‘green gas’ certainty

Posted: 4 March, 2011. Written by GGCS

New certification scheme to bring confidence to consumers

Some of the UK’s leading energy providers have today supported the launch of a scheme that will bring certainty to consumers that the gas they buy is totally ‘green.’

The Green Gas Certification Scheme (GGCS) tracks biomethane, or ‘green gas’, through the supply chain to provide certainty for those that buy it and has been established by the Renewable Energy Association working with Bio Group, British Gas, E.ON, National Grid, Milton Keynes Council, Thames Water and CNG Services Ltd.

“The Green Gas Certification Scheme is a simple and reliable way to eliminate double-counting of registered green gas” said Steve Sharratt OBE, Chief Executive of Bio Group who designed, constructed and operate the Adnams Bio Energy plant in Southwold, Suffolk. “By tracking the commercial transactions of biomethane through the supply chain it provides certainty for consumers who buy the gas, confidence in the green gas sector and an incentive for gas producers to inject green gas into the grid.”

The ground-breaking scheme is also being backed by British Gas. Mark Bugler, Head of Renewable Gas commented: “As partners in the UK’s first two Biomethane to Grid pilot projects British Gas are pleased to be one of the founding members of the Green Gas Certification Scheme. This scheme is key in allowing us to track ‘green gas’ from injection into the grid through to our customers. Our early investments in biomethane projects demonstrate once again British Gas’ leadership in renewable energy.”

John Pettigrew, National Grid's Chief Operating Officer for Gas Distribution, added: “The Green Gas Certification Scheme is a great step forward for renewable gas, stimulating demand from consumers who want to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Michael Woodhead, Managing Director of E.ON’s Sustainable Energy business, said: “Customers need the reassurance that the greener products they seek actually ‘do what they say on the tin’. We believe that biomethane has a significant role to play in the future energy mix for the UK and this certification scheme is a major step forward to making it a reality.” Biomethane, or ‘green gas’ is a form of renewable energy. It can be made from biogas from anaerobic digestion, landfill gas or syngas from synthetic gas production. If injected into the grid it displaces the same amount of conventional gas. The GGCS tracks any contractual trading of the injected gas through to its sale to end-use consumers who receive a certificate notifying them of the individual identifiers associated with it. The platform through which the gas is tracked and authenticated has been created by web development agency SAV.

“There is huge interest in renewable gas. I’m delighted that we’ve now got two sites up and running. More are set to follow once the Renewable Heat Incentive starts later in the year.” said Gaynor Hartnell, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association which, via its subsidiary Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd, is running the new certification system.

The new certification system is open to a wide range of participants across the UK including green gas producers, suppliers and other traders.

Notes for editors:

1. For further comment / information please visit www.greengas.org.uk or contact:
   Virginia Graham, REAL, on 020 7925 3576
   Ashley Riley, Biogroup, on 07835 309718
   Alexa Clark, SAV, on 0207 434 4544
2. The GGCS is run by the Renewable Energy Association’s subsidiary company, Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd. It is a not-for-profit company that also administers the REAL Assurance Scheme (for more information see www.realassurance.org.uk) and the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme (BCS) (for more information see www.biofertiliser.org.uk). For more information on REA please visit www.r-e-a.net
3. The two sites up and running are Adnams Bioenergy plant and Thames Water’s Didcot water treatment plant.
4. The platform through which the gas is tracked and authenticated has been created by web development agency SAV. More information can be found at www.sav.co.uk