España dispone de un mix energético diversificado para la generación eléctrica: utilizando distintas fuentes de energía como: hidráulica, fotovoltaica, eólica, gas natural, otros combustibles, como el carbón y el gasoil, o la energía nuclear. Lo idóneo sería que toda la energía que se produjese viniese de fuentes renovables. Estas fuentes renovables pueden ser eléctricas y no eléctricas, entre las que se encuentran el biogás/biometano y el hidrógeno, opciones más desarrolladas en lugares como Suecia o Países Bajos, y más incipientes en nuestro país. Además de para producir electricidad, las energías renovables no eléctricas también se pueden usar como combustible para el transporte, industria y los sectores residencial y comercial. Además, presentan la ventaja de que son fácilmente almacenables. Biometano y sus usos El biometano es un gas natural de origen renovable que es una fuente de energía renovable continua, 24 horas al día, todos los días del año, con unas tasas de continuidad que no dan, de momento, otras fuentes renovables. El biometano se obtiene a partir del upgrading de biogás (proceso de limpieza en el que se eliminan del biogás distintas impurezas como el CO2). A su vez el biogás (gas formado principalmente por metano y CO2) proviene de la descomposición de la materia orgánica presente en los residuos orgánicos, aguas residuales y, también, en los residuos agrícolas, ganaderos y forestales. El biometano al tener una composición análoga a la del gas natural se puede inyectar en la red de gasoductos para su transporte, almacenamiento y usos finales como vehicular, industria y hogares. Además del upgrading, para obtener biometano existe la opción Spain benefits from a diversified energy mix for electricity generation: using different energy sources such as hydropower, PV, wind, natural gas, other fuels such as coal and diesel, as well as nuclear power. The ideal would be a scenario in which all energy produced comes from renewable sources. These renewable sources can be electric and non-electric. The latter include biogas/biomethane and hydrogen, options that are more developed in places such as Sweden and the Netherlands, but which are still emerging in Spain. In addition to producing electricity, non-electric renewables can also be used as a fuel for transport and industry as well as in the residential and commercial sectors. They also have the added advantage that they are easy to store. Biomethane and its uses Biomethane is a renewable origin natural gas and a source of continuous renewable power, 24/7, offering continuity ratios that, for the time being, other renewable sources are unable to provide. Biomethane is obtained from upgrading biogas (the cleaning process which eliminates different impurities such as CO2 from the biogas). In turn, biogas (a gas mainly comprising methane and CO2) comes from the decomposition of organic matter present in organic waste and wastewater as well as in agricultural, livestock and forestry waste. As its composition is similar to that of natural gas, biomethane can be injected into the gas pipeline network for its transport, storage and end usage by vehicles, industry and homes. In addition to this upgrading, it is also possible to obtain biomethane by capturing CO2 from other sources, such as from industry or thermal power plants and combining it with green hydrogen to obtain synthetic methane. This is known as “Powerto-Gas”. Spain does have facilities that produce biogas and burn it to convert it, in situ, into electrical power and heat in small CHP plants. However, a significant advance would be the development of large biogas plants, in which biomethane is transformed and injected into already existing gas pipelines, that can transport it anywhere and have the same usages as those currently enjoyed by natural gas. Currently the only biomethane production plant is Valdemingómez in Madrid, which injects biomethane into the Enagás grid, while in other European countries, such LOS GASES RENOVABLES, CLAVES EN LA TRANSICIÓN ENERGÉTICA La transición energética supone una oportunidad única para poner en marcha proyectos seguros, competitivos y enfocados hacia las necesidades de las empresas, de las personas y del medio ambiente. Enagás, en su compromiso con los objetivos de descarbonización y los acuerdos alcanzados en la cumbre de París, promueve proyectos que apuestan por la producción de energías renovables no eléctricas, como el biogás/biometano, el hidrógeno y el gas natural sintético, que se puedan utilizar como combustible para el transporte, la industria y los sectores residencial y comercial. RENEWABLES GASES: KEYS IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION The energy transition represents a unique opportunity to put into place secure, competitive projects that are focused on the needs of companies, people and the environment. As part of its commitment to decarbonisation objectives and the agreements reached at the Paris summit, Enagás is promoting projects that support the production of nonelectric renewable energies, such as biogas/biomethane, hydrogen and synthetic natural gas that can be used as a fuel for transport and industry as well as in the residential and commercial sectors. Hito de gasoducto. Foto cortesía de Enagás Gas pipeline marker posts. Photo courtesy of Enagás FuturEnergy | Mayo May 2019 www.futurenergyweb.es 55 Gases Renovables | Renewable Gases
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