Council-owned energy firm Bristol Energy has now been selling renewable gas to its customers for a whole year, the company has announced.
Bristol Energy offers its customers 15 per cent green gas, made from local sewage, to its My Green Plus customers, which it claims is an “industry leading” figure.
The energy supplier says it has been working closely with local food waste management and renewable energy company GENeco turning poo from a million people across the city into biomethane.
Recently a report from the Renewable Energy Association (REA), titled the Bioenergy Strategy, found that sustainable bioenergy, such as biomethane, can meet two-thirds of the projected shortfall of the fifth carbon budget.
This type of fuel can, theoretically, provide an extra 60TWh of heat and 57TWh of power, helping to provide immediate and affordable carbon savings.
The report also found that meeting the UK’s net-zero greenhouse gas targets by 2050 is “not possible” without bioenergy.
Adam Brown, author of the report, said: “If the UK is to achieve net-zero greenhouse gasses by 2050 and meet its legally binding carbon budgets, we must adhere to the advice of the Committee on Climate Change and significantly increase the deployment of renewable technologies.
“Bioenergy presents numerous options across heat, power and transport, and the UK is not in a position to be casting away renewable, sustainable and cost-effective solutions. This report outlines the possibilities for the UK if we grasp the opportunity the bioenergy sector presents.”
This follows the report from the Green Gas Certification Scheme published in April which revealed that a million UK homes are now being partially fueled by biomethane, marking a “crucial shift” in the UK’s behavior towards gas use.
Simon Proctor, renewables and origination manager at Bristol Energy, said: “People are much more aware of the simple changes we can make to tackle climate change. But for a long time green energy was seen as more expensive.
“Luckily, thanks to advances in technology, this is no longer the case. Bristol Energy is proud to be offering one of the highest percentages of green gas in the market at a competitive rate.”
Mohammed Saddiq, managing director of GENeco, added: “By treating sewage and food that’s unfit for human consumption, we’re able to produce enough biomethane to provide a significant supply of gas to the national gas network.
“Our plant provides carbon savings of around 30,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and is a real success story for Bristol. Powering people’s homes using waste from the local area is a real-life example of the circular economy in action.”
In March the government announced that gas heating systems will no longer be allowed in new homes from 2025 in its new green deal.