Our commitment

We’re investigating a renewable gas future for Aotearoa New Zealand. 

We’re committed to reducing carbon emissions in our gas network by transitioning to renewable gas, so our customers can keep enjoying gas cooking, heating and hot water for years to come. Our decarbonisation efforts will focus on renewable natural gas (biomethane) as the renewable gas solution for our network.

Gas will continue to be a critical part of New Zealand’s energy mix, providing reliable and affordable supply.

That’s why we co-commissioned the Blunomy report with Clarus and Ecogas on the potential to capture and use biogas in New Zealand. 

The report found that New Zealand has the potential to produce 23.4PJ of biogas a year, which is more than enough to meet residential demand.

There are also economic benefits associated with using biogas – providing value streams for waste producers and processors, by capturing and using the biogas that would otherwise be emitted, or captured and flared, with no beneficial use.

Supporting links

What is renewable natural gas (biomethane)?

Biomethane is a renewable gas that can be used the same way we use natural gas today, without adding additional emissions into the environment.

When biogas is cleaned (removal of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and water) it’s known as biomethane (renewable natural gas) and is almost chemically identical to natural gas. This means biomethane can be used interchangeably with natural gas and used the same way, so our customers can keep enjoying gas cooking, heating and hot water for years to come, without adding additional emissions into the atmosphere.

We can use our existing gas pipes to supply our customers with renewable natural gas. It also means our customers still have a choice of how they energise their homes and businesses and maintain resilience during extreme weather events.

Benefits of renewable natural gas

  • Biomethane can be used in place of natural gas, without producing additional emissions. 
  • Biomethane can be circulated through our current gas network and infrastructure.
  • Biomethane can be used with current consumer appliances and equipment.
  • Capturing biomethane for energy can reduce the amount of methane being released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.
  • Through the biogas refining process, natural fertilisers and renewable CO² for industrial and food production are created.

Our projects

We’re excited to have two initiatives underway to investigate the upgrading of biogas to renewable natural gas for use in Powerco’s gas network. 

Our projects with Manawatū District Council and MidWest Disposals are looking at the upgrading of biogas and landfill gas, produced at the wastewater and landfill sites.

These projects are part of our commitment to use renewable natural gas in our gas networks in the future. 

We’re excited by the potential of biogas to bring together the energy, agricultural, manufacturing and waste sectors to create tangible environmental and economic benefits through capturing and using organic gas emissions. 

To learn more about our initiatives with Manawatū District Council and MidWest Disposals read our media release.

The journey to renewable gas

While having 100% of Powerco’s gas network on renewable gas is still some time away, we’re working towards having blended gas trials on some of our network as early as 2030. The renewable gas road map below shows the industry as a whole.

 

Work with us

We’ve got renewable natural gas projects underway, with the view of capturing biogas and upgrading it into biomethane for use on our gas network.

That’s why, if you have organic waste, we want to know about it. We can help tailor a solution to help process your organic waste and maximise the amount of energy realised from that waste and, in turn, reduce emissions and costs to your business.

Whether it’s agricultural waste, dairy and meat industry effluent or municipal waste, organic material emits biogas as it decomposes, and this can be processed into biomethane to use in homes and businesses.

It’s a great opportunity for sectors that produce or manage organic waste to reduce the environmental impact of that waste and put it to use energising Aotearoa.

Harnessing biogas creates a use for your waste, reduces the emissions associated, and provides potential additional revenue streams.

We’re here to work with you on creating a renewable and carbon-neutral energy solution.

To find out more about how we can work with you, get in contact with our renewable gas team renewable.gas@powerco.co.nz

Connected to our gas network?

For customers who are currently connected to our natural gas network in Wellington, Taranaki, Manawatū, Horowhenua and Hawke’s Bay: You don’t need to do anything – just keep enjoying the benefits of gas!

Around 90% of our gas pipe network (and most new subdivisions), are compatible with renewable gases. We’re on track for blended gas to flow through areas of our natural gas network by 2030, so you can enjoy the benefits of gas now and into the future. 

We’re working to decarbonise our gas network, so our customers won’t have to change the way they use gas. Visit The Gas Hub website for more information for our customers.