Thirty-eight applications to build or expand biomethane plants have been submitted to UK gas distribution network Cadent in the opening round of its new cost-sharing assessment process, marking one of the largest single-window surges in renewable gas capacity interest to date.
The applications cover Cadent's full operational area, with the East of England accounting for the largest share at 17, followed by 13 in the East Midlands, five in the West Midlands and three in the North West.
The submissions are the first to come forward under a clustering model backed by energy regulator Ofgem, which allows developers in constrained grid areas to share infrastructure reinforcement costs. Cadent said the response demonstrated strong market confidence in both the technology and the new commercial framework.
Howard Forster, Cadent's chief operating officer, said the volume of applications was among the clearest signals yet that the biomethane sector was ready to expand at scale, and that the cost-sharing approach was delivering on its intended purpose of reducing barriers and improving project coordination.
Cadent currently operates 47 biomethane connections delivering four terawatt hours of energy annually — equivalent to the gas consumption of around 351,000 homes. The company has set a target of reaching 20 terawatt hours by 2035, which would supply the equivalent of 1.8 million homes.
The network's technical teams are now reviewing the applications to identify clustering opportunities and confirm reinforcement requirements at each site. Developers are expected to receive indicative cost estimates within weeks, after which they will decide whether to advance to the next stage.
The announcement follows Cadent's recent confirmation that the cumulative volume of biomethane delivered into its network has exceeded 1.5 billion cubic metres.
Biomethane is produced from organic materials including agricultural residues, food waste and sewage, and is considered a near-term renewable option within the UK's broader shift away from fossil fuels.
