The Malabar biomethane injection plant has been formally certified by GreenPower, marking an important next step for the country’s nascent renewable gas sector.
A GreenPower renewable gas certification means renewable gas certificates will be issued for gas produced at the Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant (MBIP) certifying that gas produced at the plant is carbon neutral.
Certification has come after Jemena and Origin Energy signed an agreement for biomethane supply in March 2023 which could see Origin purchase up to 110 terajoules of biomethane per year from the MBIP.
Jemena Managing Director David Gillespie said that by using a blend of renewable gases such as hydrogen and biomethane, to complement natural gas, Australia can lower its carbon footprint, retain consumer choice, give energy certainty to hard-to-electrify sectors, and navigate the energy transition through a low-cost pathway.
“This is an exciting next step for Australia’s renewable gas industry and is the first time biomethane has been formally certified as meeting the environmental and social standards set by GreenPower,” Gillespie said.
The MBIP is a partnership between Sydney Water and leading energy infrastructure company Jemena. The project has also received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
“Our industrial and manufacturing customers are telling us they need gas for high heat and as a feedstock. At the same time, we know they are also looking at ways to lower their carbon footprint,” Gillepsie said.
According to him, this certification is the next step in establishing a domestic renewable gas market which would help customers on their decarbonisation journey.
“This is particularly important for industrial customers who have been mandated to reduce emissions under the Federal Safeguard Mechanism,” he said.
Suzie Jakobovits, General Manager of Renewable Gas at Jemena, said this was a significant milestone for Australia’s gas sector.
“Australia and its energy sector are working at pace to decarbonise, but there is always more we can do,” she said.
“At Jemena, we can contribute by looking at ways we can decarbonise the fuel we deliver, while at the same time maintaining affordable and reliable power. Future fuels such as biomethane and renewable hydrogen have a significant role to play in reaching that goal.”
Jakobovits said that biomethane represented a fantastic example of the circular economy in action – where waste products are repurposed and put to alternative uses.
“But to ensure Australia has a future fuels economy, we need to have the correct policy settings in place to support the development of a robust renewable gas sector.
“It is also important that we work together and forge partnerships across different parts of the economy, as we are seeing through our collaboration with Sydney Water at the Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant.”
Sydney Water Chief Executive Officer Roch Cheroux said by partnering with Jemena, the utility company has been able to take wastewater and convert it into gas, which has not only bolstered energy supplies but successfully demonstrated it has the capability to deliver an internationally proven technology right here in Sydney.
“This is a significant achievement as we are now contributing to the circular economy,” Cheroux said.
“This project demonstrates the importance of water infrastructure to assist in the delivery of new energy technologies. Our work with Jemena has ensured we can provide the essential foundation so customers can access renewable gas and hydrogen.”
GreenPower Steering Group Chair Tim Stock said the GreenPower certified renewable gas production, like the biomethane being produced at Jemena’s Malabar project, was important in reducing Australia’s carbon emissions.
“These renewable energies are sources of cleaner, sustainable and increasingly competitive energy which can be used by industries in the same way as fossil natural gas but with substantially lower carbon emissions,” he said.
“This is vital in helping Australia and its jurisdictions reach their net zero emissions targets and provide a sustainable means to power our economy along with environmental benefits, energy security, and economic opportunities while using novel and advanced technologies, which can also provide valuable circular economy benefits.”
According to Stock, GreenPower Renewable Gas Certification is unlocking a nation-wide renewable gas market to support low-emission gas development and provides commercial and industrial sectors with a cleaner energy choice for their gas use.
Biomethane is produced by upgrading biogas which is created from bacteria breaking down waste, such as organic matter in wastewater, to produce gas.
Biomethane from the MBIP produces over 90 per cent lower emissions than fossil natural gas and is completely compatible with current gas appliances and infrastructure.
This announcement comes after Jemena and renewable gas producer Optimal Renewable Gas revealed details of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which will see Optimal Renewable Gas identify suitable sites in regional New South Wales that could produce up to 1.5 petajoules of biomethane.
As part of the MoU Jemena will undertake feasibility and preparatory work so biomethane can be injected into the New South Wales gas distribution network.
The Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant is co-located next to Sydney Water’s Malabar Water Resource Recovery Facility.
“Jemena has partnered with Sydney Water to create a circular economy where biogas is produced from organic waste at the Water Resource Recovery Facility, turned into biomethane and then injected into the gas network. Biomethane is 100 per cent compatible with existing gas network infrastructure,” Jakobovits said.
Jemena’s Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant has received formal certification from GreenPower that recognises the gas produced as being low emission.
Much like the green and gold kangaroo indicating Australian made and owned products, GreenPower certification creates an auditable process – breeding transparency through the life cycle – that gives business and consumers’ confidence that gas produced at the Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant is a renewable product with low emissions.
“This is a significant step forward in Australia’s renewable gas market development, and an opportunity that can be expanded to assist Australia’s future fuels industry,” Jakobovits said.
“The Malabar Biomethane Injection Plant is an Australian first when it comes to demonstrating how biomethane can contribute to Australia’s energy mix.
Jakobovits added that this commercially viable and scalable project had encouraged other participants to enter the market. This includes Australia’s renewable gas producer Optimal Renewable Gas.
“Jemena’s network is biomethane ready, enabling production to be scaled up over time as the demand for renewable gas grows and more players enter the market,” she said.”
This feature also appears in the July edition of The Australian Pipeliner.