UK Biomethane Industry Clarifies Position Following MCS Foundation Press Release

UK Biomethane Industry Clarifies Position Following MCS Foundation Press Release

London, UK – 1 October  – The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) has issued a statement in response to the MCS Foundation press release issued on 30 September, entitled “Biomethane not viable for widespread use in UK home heating, report finds.”

The MCS press release misrepresents the findings of its own report and the stance of the UK biomethane industry and gas networks. It is misleading in its framing of the reality when it suggests that biomethane could only meet up to 18% of the UK’s current gas demand by 2050.

ADBA makes it clear that neither it – nor to its knowledge any other green gas organisations – have ever claimed biomethane could meet 100% of the current demand, as this would be unrealistic. Instead, the industry anticipates a reduction in gas demand over time, with biomethane expected to represent 50% of the demand by 2050 to achieve net zero.

The ADBA-BMA modelling report on “The Role of Green Gas in Net Zero” published in December 2024 and which initiated this discussion, indicates that with abundant biomethane (100TWh) by 2050, domestic heat from heat pumps will broadly align with government targets. Strategic use of biomethane may lead to slightly more residual gas heating than previously projected, but this is due to a lower roll out of high-cost regional heat networks and hydrogen-only heating.

ADBA emphasises that both domestic heat pumps and biomethane are essential for achieving net zero, countering the narrative of conflict between the two technologies.

Having reviewed the Regen report underpinning the press release, ADBA finds that it largely aligns with its own position, particularly regarding the potential of sustainable feedstock available in the UK. The comprehensive feedstock research published by the Green Gas Task Force (performed by Alder BioInsights) has been welcomed and broadly adopted by the industry and it is accepted in the Regen report too.

This MCS Foundation-sponsored report acknowledges that 120TWh of biomethane could avoid the release over 20Mt of fossil CO2 per year, but it misses the potential for carbon removals of up to 18Mt of CO2 per year as a result of biomethane upgrading. This dual benefit is crucial for reducing long-term net zero costs. These carbon removals are vital to create flexibility within the UK carbon budget to account for missed targets in other sectors. The UK needs to use all resources fully and deploy solutions that are mutually supportive and offer redundancy.

Britain cannot afford to adopt a single-solution approach, as this could lead to economic fragility and increased costs. Biomethane is a valuable tool for various applications, but new build homes designed for heat pumps should prioritise this option, whilst many older homes can achieve sooner decarbonisation by increasing deployment of biomethane. Biomethane also offers a cost-effective and flexible energy storage and electricity generation solution between seasons, surpassing batteries in capacity and affordability. Ultimately, the market, guided by the carbon price, will determine the most effective use of each technology.

ADBA stresses the importance of effectively using all renewables and low-carbon technologies. As demonstrated by the NESO FES 2025 modelling, achieving net zero, meeting all carbon budgets and delivering the UK Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement are not possible without biomethane.

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For further information, please contact:

Alasdair Rogers, Communications Manager
e: alasdair@adbioresources.org; tel: 020 8434 5407

Notes to editors