In rural areas, green gas is the cheapest alternative to natural gas. This is the conclusion of CE Delft in a new research report. A related study by Ecorys also shows that many residents are positive about green gas. There is one problem: there is currently a shortage of sustainable gas.
The Netherlands is moving away from natural gas. This much has been clear for several years, and with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the associated gas crisis, the energy transition has become even more urgent.
The urgency has been felt in Groningen for some time now - the province has been struggling for decades with subsidence and earthquakes caused by large-scale natural gas extraction under their feet. However, several municipalities in the northern province do not want to get rid of gas completely.
There is also sustainable gas: so-called green gas. This concerns gas that can be produced in a sustainable manner from (among other things) biomass and has the same quality as natural gas. And of course it does not have to be extracted from the ground through harmful drilling.
Cheaper than alternatives
A study of C. E. Delft now shows that this green gas has a high social value in rural areas - such as large parts of the province of Groningen.
“This research shows that green gas for heating buildings in rural areas is the least expensive alternative to natural gas. Other options, such as switching completely to electricity, are very expensive there.”
says Martha Deen, who from CE Delft focuses mainly on issues related to the energy transition.
The research was carried out on behalf of grid operator RENDO and Nieuwborgen.net, an organization that emerged a few years ago from the idea of making the Groningen villages of Nieuwolda and Wagenborgen natural gas-free.
Lots of enthusiasm among residents
In addition, the municipalities of Oldambt and Eemsdelta (of which Nieuwolda and Wagenborgen are part) Ecorys to investigate the social (added) value of green gas supply.
The conclusion is in line with that of CE Delft: “In many places, alternatives to natural gas, such as a high-temperature heating network or 'all-electric' solutions, are technically not possible or economically unprofitable. Green gas can be a good alternative to natural gas in those places,” say the Ecorys researchers.
The agency also investigated how local residents view green gas. The survey shows that many people are willing to pay more for the supply of green gas than for natural gas.
Too little green gas
This means that nothing appears to stand in the way of the transition from natural gas to green gas in the Groningen rural areas. Yet there is a problem: green gas is currently still very scarce. And according to the Groningen municipalities involved, RENDO and Nieuwborgen.net, this is partly caused by the current subsidy rules.
“It appears that national subsidy rules are preventing the production of green gas,” says Jurrie Nieboer, councilor of the municipality of Oldambt. With the reports from CE Delft and Ecorys in hand, green gas advocates hope to change that. They call on policymakers to simplify subsidy rules for producers.
With the current rules, a producer cannot simply switch from electricity production to the production of green gas while retaining his subsidy, which would make it unprofitable to produce the green gas.
“In our region, where energy poverty is high, we should encourage green gas as the most affordable alternative,” says Nieboer. “We therefore ask the government to enable our residents to embrace green gas. It is an important condition for the future quality of life and habitability of this area.”
Source: Consultancy.nl
