New report says renewable Liquid Gas could transform rural energy market

According to a new report from Liquid Gas Europe (LGE), with the right policy framework, Europe could produce up to 350 TWh of renewable Liquid Gas by 2050, enough to replace most of the fossil LPG which is used in Europe’s rural areas today.

Such a switch would provide an immediate, scalable solution for sectors in rural areas that cannot fully electrify such as off-grid heating, transport, and industry, explained LGE General Manager Ewa Abramiuk-Lété at a recent event in Brusels. “The report found that there is enough feedstock available for the production of renewable liquid gases,” she said.

Abramiuk-Lété added: “Of course, we’ve looked at very different types of pathways, and each pathway has its own constraints, but overall, we don’t see any constraints for the availability of feedstocks, and we looked primarily at the availability of Europe-based feedstocks as well.”

Feedstock availability, particularly waste-based sources such as agricultural residues, animal fats, and used cooking oils, will play a crucial role in whether or not this goal can be reached. The report concludes that strong policy support and investment certainty will be essential to unlocking the full potential of renewable liquid gases.

Moreover, European Commission’s policy officer for clean air Wilhelmus De Wilt offered some advice for how to overcome the policy and investment barriers identified by the report, noting that it looks like in the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funding mechanism there is so far “very little, if anything, relating to liquid gas.” Lawmakers therefore need some convincing, he said.

He also noted that a major hurdle from a European perspective that needs to be addressed is the lack of renewable liquid gas production facilities in the EU’s East. “Production facilities are all in Western Europe,” he commented.

Source: Euractiv

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