Oz APA Gets Funding for Renewable Methane Project
Australian gas infrastructure company, APA group, has received A$1.1bn (US$720mn) in funding from the government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) towards its renewable methane pilot project to be developed with partner Southern Green Gas, APA said on May 8 in a statement.
“Arena’s support means we can work to understand the costs and benefits of generating renewable methane for use in the existing East Coast Gas Grid,” said APA group CEO Rob Wheals. “This is a great example of government support for innovation in the Australian energy industry in Australia. APA is excited about its part in this process.”
Wheals said the project is the first step in testing whether it is possible on an industrial scale to create methane using solar-generated electricity, water and CO2 from the atmosphere.
"With this project, we’re aiming to determine whether this carbon-neutral process might be part of a broader green energy solution for the future and if our pipelines can be used to transport pure renewable energy domestically or for export,” he said.
APA group believes the integration of fuel supplies such as renewable methane into existing gas pipeline systems could make a significant contribution to reducing the carbon content of energy used to heat homes, buildings and fuel transportation.