Renewable Gas

Biomethane & Biogas

Commonly referred to as renewable natural gas, biomethane serves as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based natural gas. It results from the meticulous refinement and purification of biogas, which is generated through the anaerobic digestion or gasification of organic matter, including agricultural residue, municipal solid waste, plant material, and sewage.

Biomethane seamlessly integrates into the existing natural gas infrastructure, offering a direct substitute for fossil-based natural gas across various applications such as heating, culinary use, and electricity generation. The transition to biomethane is advantageous for environmental reasons as it captures methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere from organic waste streams.

Additionally, the production and use of biomethane establish a carbon cycle where the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during its combustion is offset by the CO2 absorbed during the growth of the source materials. This results in net-zero carbon emissions, in contrast to the extraction and use of fossil-based natural gas. Biomethane presents itself as an invaluable complement to wind and solar energy sources for the purpose of emissions reduction, particularly in sectors that are challenging to electrify, such as industrial heating, thus contributing to the realisation of our sustainability targets.

The Capstone microturbines that we offer are able to run on both biomethane and biogas and we have already commissioned a few turbines that run exclusively on biogas, such as at a thermal pool and spa centre in Hanmer Springs, New Zealand; a wastewater treatment plant in Surbiton part, New South Wales; a McCain Food’s manufacturing facility in Ballarat, Victoria; etc. Additionally, we have a sister company, Optimal Renewable Gas, which is actively engaged in the development of biomethane projects in Australia.

Green Hydrogen

The prevailing methods for industrial hydrogen production can be classified into two primary categories: brown hydrogen, derived from the gasification of coal or lignite, and grey hydrogen, generated through the process of steam methane reformation using natural gas as the primary feedstock. It is important to note that while these methods offer a cost-effective means of hydrogen production, they are environmentally problematic due to the substantial release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Conversely, blue hydrogen has been proposed as a more environmentally friendly approach, where the CO2 emissions resulting from steam reforming are captured and sequestered underground rather than being discharged into the environment. Nevertheless, blue hydrogen remains a topic of controversy, primarily because the technology has yet to demonstrate reliable scalability and it demands a considerable amount of energy.

In stark contrast, green hydrogen holds significant promise for nearly eradicating emissions by leveraging renewable energy sources, even during non-optimal periods, to facilitate water electrolysis. Additionally, renewable hydrogen can be derived through bio-hydrogen production processes, such as biomass residue pyrolysis.

Our company specializes in the utilization of green hydrogen, which can be incorporated into Panasonic Fuel Cells to generate power with exceptionally low level of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, a testament to this is our involvement in Jemena’s Western Sydney Green Gas Project, which included the delivery of a Capstone microturbine operating exclusively on hydrogen, marking yet another pioneering achievement for Optimal Group on the global stage.