Green gas as a transport fuel in the North of the Netherlands

Climate change, air pollution and the dependency on finite fossil fuels have increased the attention given to biofuels. In 2008, the European Union introduced the green energy package. This directive, which should be implemented at the end of this year, enforces a percentage of 10 percent renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020. In the light of this directive the Northern provinces of the Netherlands (Drenthe, Friesland and Groningen) drafted the so called 100.000 voertuigen plan. This policy document aims at a 100.000 vehicles share of the Northern car fleet using renewable energy by the year 2015, which is mainly thought to be realized by using green gas. However in the world wide predictions for biofuels of the IEA, green gas is not visible at all. This research therefore focused on the question: Which opportunities are available for green gas to become a renewable transport fuel in the Northern part of the Netherlands by the year 2015 and what conditions are necessary for a successful introduction? This report has investigated the resources that are available for green gas production in the North of the Netherlands. Together with the basic details of the different production techniques which are currently available, the theoretical production potential for the year 2015 is derived. It then discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative transformation routes of biogas, which is mainly the production of electricity in a CHP. Then it discusses how green gas can be used in vehicles, by describing the characteristics of the Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV's) which are currently available. The energy requirements, fuel emissions and economics of these vehicles are compared with alternative cars, to give insight in the competitiveness of these vehicles. Finally this report discusses additional issues which are relevant for a successful introduction of green gas as a transport fuel in the North of the Netherlands. Governmental, technical, economical and social conditions are described to give a full overview of the current situation in the North of the Netherlands. Together they show the opportunities and limitations of green gas as a transport fuel and some suggestions how these limitations can be overcome in the future. Conclusions Currently all green gas is derived from upgraded biogas, as the gasification techniques to produce Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) are still not available on a commercial scale. This brings to total green gas potential in the order of 9,51 PJ per year by 2015. After 2015 the gasification techniques will become available, which will cause an increase in the overall potential. However the production potential of 9,51 PJ is already twice the amount of green gas which is needed to power 100.000 passenger vehicles. Biogas can also be used directly in a CHP to produce electricity. The development of more CHP installations could therefore be a threat to the introduction of green gas in the transport sector. The use of biogas in a CHP is more efficient from an energy perspective, then upgrading biogas to green gas in situations where all the produced heat can be used within a reasonable distance (