“The challenge is finding the mix of these pathways that will enable Australia to reduce emissions, while ensuring energy security and minimising the overall costs of the energy system,” he says.

“Due to the size of the transformation needed in the energy sector, especially when you consider the totality of electricity supply, gas supply and liquid fuel supply, we’re going to have to look at how all of these pathways can contribute towards reaching net-zero emissions.

“If we continue to use existing gas infrastructure to provide renewable energy to homes, businesses and industry, projections show this is likely to be a much lower-cost and efficient way to reduce emissions than moving to full electrification.”

There has been a lot of discussion about the future of hydrogen, including green hydrogen, as part of the future energy mix, he says.

“However, biogases like biomethane will also be a critical part of the future energy mix,” says Reardon.

“According to ARENA’s 2021 Bioenergy Roadmap the Australian bioenergy industry has the potential to create around $10 billion in extra GDP and 26,200 new jobs by the 2030’s, as well as diverting an extra 6 per cent of waste from landfill and enhancing fuel security. So the benefits of biomethane to our future energy mix are very clear.”

Giant storage battery

He says renewable gas in our existing pipeline networks could be thought of as a giant “storage battery” of energy, available to use even when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.

“A major advantage of renewable gas is that existing gas infrastructure can be used like an enormous underground battery,” he says.

“Renewable energy can be used to generate renewable gas, which can be stored and later used to generate electricity when solar or wind aren’t available, or at times of very high demand.

“The estimated storage potential of existing east coast gas transportation and distribution infrastructure is more than 27,000 GWh. This is about 70 times the amount of storage of Snowy 2.0.”

Jemena is calling for a nationwide Renewable Gas Target (RGT), which the distributor says could be the jump-start the renewable gas sector needs to truly commercialise zero-emission gases and make them available to Australian homes and businesses at scale.

An RGT targeting just 10 per cent renewable gas by 2030 would come at modest cost, compared to the magnitude of the benefits it would unlock, says Reardon.

“We believe a Renewable Gas Target could see up to 9PJ of zero-carbon gas injected into Jemena’s NSW gas distribution network by 2030.

“This would remove around 464,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of over 200,000 cars, and help NSW achieve a 10 per cent renewable gas target.

“Our initial analysis has found that this can be done at an estimated cost of around only $15 for a typical NSW household.”

Aussie business at the coalface of change

One manufacturing company at the coalface when it comes to the green energy transition is floor covering manufacturer Interface, whose sustainability manager Aidan Mullan says since the firm started its de-carbonisation process it has increased revenue fivefold and profit 10-fold.

“In 1994, Interface set out to become the world’s first environmentally sustainable and restorative company,” says Mullan, whose firm produces 3-4 million square metres of floor coverings a year, the equivalent of around 600 football fields.

“Since then, the company has developed a reuse and recycling program for their carpet after use, supported by a ‘product as a service’ leasing offer. All Interface products are verified as carbon neutral.

“The company has reduced absolute greenhouse gas emission from its manufacturing facilities by 96 per cent and product carbon footprint by 76 per cent.”

He says all facilities now operate on 100 per cent renewable energy.

The firm’s manufacturing facilities in Europe and the US all use renewable gas and later this year the Australian factory, in southwest Sydney, will further decarbonise its operations by purchasing renewable gas certificates as a result of the biomethane produced by Jemena at Malabar.