Businessman claims grass grown on farmland could provide enough gas to heat every UK home

Ecotricity unveils plan for Britain to make its own gas – from grass (Photo: Ecotricity)
Ecotricity unveils plan for Britain to make its own gas – from grass (Photo: Ecotricity)

A British businessman has claimed grasslands could provide enough gas to heat all of the UK’s homes.

Ecotricity's founder, Dale Vince, unveiled his plan for Britain to make its own gas from grass, grown on marginal farmland, of which Britain has enough to heat almost every home in Britain.

Ecotricity outlines the potential in a new report – Green Gas Mills: The Opportunity for Britain – which shows that green gas from grass could provide all of the gas needs for Britain’s homes, pump £7.5 billion annually into the economy, and create a new industry with up to 150,000 jobs.

Additionally, green gas made this way is virtually carbon neutral, so could play a significant role in Britain meeting its climate targets, and could help create new habitats for wildlife.

Ecotricity has just received permission to build its prototype ‘Green Gas Mill’, the first of its kind in Britain. Grass at the plant would be turned into biomethane within 45 days and then injected into the national network, providing the heating needs of more than 4,000 homes.

The future is... grass

Making green gas from grass will support food production by improving soils (Photo: Ecotricity’s ‘green gas mill’ at Sparsholt College, Ecotricity)
Making green gas from grass will support food production by improving soils (Photo: Ecotricity’s ‘green gas mill’ at Sparsholt College, Ecotricity)

Dale Vince said: “As North Sea reserves run out, the big question is where we’re going to get our gas from next. The government thinks fracking is the answer, but this new report shows that we have a better option.

“Recently, it’s become possible to make green gas and put it into the grid, in the same way we’ve been doing with green electricity for the last two decades. The current way of doing that is through energy crops and food waste – but both have their drawbacks.

“Through our research, we’ve found that using grass is a better alternative, and has none of the drawbacks of energy crops, food waste or fracking – in fact, it has no drawbacks at all.

“As our report shows, the benefits of Britain making its gas this way are astounding. And in the light of this new option available to us, I call on Teresa May to review the government’s plan for where Britain gets its gas – post-North Sea.

“We now have a more than viable alternative to fracking, which people have been fighting tooth and nail up and down the country to prevent. It’s not too late, because fracking hasn’t started yet. We need a proper review of where Britain gets its gas from – we can either frack the countryside or we can grow the grass. It’s that simple.”

Supporting food production

Making green gas from grass will cut carbon emissions, help Britain become energy independent, support food production by improving soils, create wildlife habitats, and provide support for farmers who are set to lose EU subsidies following Brexit, according to Mr Vince.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP Minister, said: "If the government would only throw its weight behind green gas, it would go a long way to delivering on the government's renewable heating targets and secureenergy for the future."

Doug Parr, Chief Scientist and Policy Director of Greenpeace UK, said: “As long as it’s not competing with food production, green gas like this project can be really helpful in getting the UK onto a cleaner and lower carbon path. Agriculture need not simply be part of the problem in tackling climate change, but through innovation it can be part of the solution, and improve wildlife habitats at the same time. ”