Naturgy injects first renewable gas from landfill into gas network

Naturgy has become the first company to inject renewable gas from landfill into Spain’s gas distribution network.

The renewable gas plant, located in the Parc de l’Alba de Cerdanyola del Vallés, Barcelona, next to the Elena waste site, received a €2.2 million investment.

With this installation, Naturgy demonstrates its ability to carry out this type of project thanks to the strength of its distribution network, which is prepared to distribute renewable gases due to increased investments in recent years, Spain’s existing gas infrastructure, and its contribution to the security of supply.

The Cerdanyola del Vallés plant will produce 12 GWh per year of biomethane, equivalent to the annual consumption of 3,200 homes, and will prevent 2,400 tons of CO₂ per year from entering the atmosphere.

Part of the gas injected into the network will be used to fuel vehicles at Naturgy’s stations since it is a viable alternative for sustainable mobility.

Naturgy is working on the development of renewable gas on a commercial scale and has experience through projects launched in recent years, such as Methamorphosis in Vilasana, which has EU funding, or a project located at a Bens wastewater treatment plant, in A Coruna, Galicia, co-financed by the Xunta through ERDF funds to produce biomethane from wastewater for transport.

According to the ‘Renewable gases – An emerging energy vector’ report published by the Naturgy Foundation, the maximum potential for renewable gas production in Spain could be equivalent to 65% of the current total demand for natural gas, if its development were ‘decisively promoted’.

The authors of the study argue that, if Spain develops its full production potential, it could reduce some 35 million tons of CO₂, that is, more than 10% of the greenhouse gas emissions forecast for the year 2030. This is equivalent to the CO2 emitted by its entire fleet of passenger cars in one year or that absorbed by the entire forest area of Spain in 2017.

Naturgy aims for all gas through its networks to be of renewable origin by 2050.