2021-12-10-IGU-全球可再生和低碳气体报告2021_50页_3mb

报告摘要

Global Renewable and Low-Carbon Gas Report Summary (2021 Edition)

Core Content

The Global Renewable and Low-Carbon Gas Report 2021, published by the International Gas Union (IGU), is the first in a new series aimed at tracking the development of renewable and low-carbon gas technologies globally. The report highlights the importance of these gases in the transition to a low-carbon energy system and outlines the current status, challenges, and opportunities for their expansion.

Main Points

Renewable and low-carbon gases are critical for achieving the decarbonisation goals set by the Paris Agreement.
The IGU is the only international association covering the entire gas supply chain, and this report is intended to become an authoritative source of information on renewable and low-carbon hydrogen gas.
Biomethane and low-carbon hydrogen are the two main focus areas of the report, with biomethane being more developed and widely used at present.
The report includes data from 21 countries across five continents, with a focus section on key countries like China, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, the United States, Canada, and Brazil.
The database tracks biomethane and low-carbon hydrogen projects, including those that are operational, under construction, or in development.

Key Findings

Renewable Gas Production

Total global production of biogas and biomethane in 2018 is around 400 TWh, or 1% of total natural gas production.
Over half of this production is concentrated in a few European countries, with an additional 25% in China.
Biomethane is produced by upgrading biogas and can be used in existing natural gas infrastructure.
Sustainable biogas potential is estimated at 730 Mtoe (8,500 TWh), which could meet 20% of global natural gas demand if fully upgraded.
However, current project momentum is not sufficient to realize this potential in the near term.

Low-Carbon Hydrogen

Low-carbon hydrogen production is only 0.5% of total hydrogen demand, or 0.03% of global natural gas production.
The growth in low-carbon hydrogen production has been minimal over the last five years.
Green hydrogen, produced via electrolysis using renewable electricity, is significantly more expensive than other renewable gases but costs are expected to fall as renewable electricity and electrolyzer technologies improve.
Blue hydrogen, produced from natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS), is currently more economically viable than green hydrogen, but may become less so as carbon prices rise.

Policy and Market Development

Policy support is essential for the growth of renewable and low-carbon gas technologies.
Biomethane should be prioritized in policy agendas due to its current lower cost and higher production levels compared to hydrogen.
The report calls for stronger collaboration between policymakers, industry stakeholders, and financial institutions to support the development and deployment of these technologies.
The database is expected to grow in coverage and accuracy over future editions, enabling more precise assessments of progress and trends.

Key Countries

China is a major producer of biomethane, with 25% of global production.
Denmark has ambitious targets to achieve 100% biomethane in its gas grid by 2040.
Germany has a significant number of biomethane and hydrogen projects, with data showing the distribution of biomethane by feedstock and hydrogen by development stage.
United States and Canada are also key players, with data on hydrogen and biomethane projects by status and location.

Cost Considerations

Renewable gases are generally more expensive than their fossil-derived counterparts.
Government policy and subsidies will be crucial in making renewable gas projects economically viable.
Cost reductions are expected over time, especially for green hydrogen, as renewable energy and electrolyzer technologies improve.

Conclusion

The report emphasizes the urgent need for scaling up renewable and low-carbon gas production to meet decarbonisation targets. It serves as a baseline for future assessments and aims to promote interest and action among policymakers and industry stakeholders. The IGU and Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES) are committed to expanding the database and improving its accuracy to better inform global energy strategies.

Figures and Tables

Figure 1 shows the share of primary energy by fuel, with natural gas accounting for 25% of global primary energy in 2020.
Figure 2 illustrates natural gas production by region from 2001 to 2020.
Figure 3 provides shares of primary energy of renewable gases.
Figure 4 compares renewable gas production costs with traditional gas and hydrogen.
Figure 5 displays the number of hydrogen and biomethane plants reported in the database.
Figure 6 maps the global coverage of the IGU's Renewable Gas Database.
Table 1 outlines the properties of biogas and natural gas.

Appendix

The Appendix provides detailed methodology and types of renewable gases.
Biomethane is produced from biogas through upgrading processes.
Hydrogen is categorized into green (from renewable electricity) and blue (from natural gas with CCS).
Low-carbon hydrogen includes both green and blue hydrogen.