Driving towards net-zero with ‘Penelope Power’

Meet Penelope. You may not know it – and she certainly doesn’t – but she’s playing a key role in the green gas revolution that is decarbonising the UK’s energy grid and supporting the drive to achieve our net-zero goals.

Penelope, and the rest of the herd, are part of a connected, circular chain that helps ENGIE to produce enough biomethane to power 3,600 homes with renewable gas and 2,400 homes with renewable electricity each year. This is a chain that is supporting British agriculture, local communities, energy consumers and the UK energy grid, and it is these virtuous circles that will play a key role in supporting the UK’s transition to net-zero.

Supporting rural communities to achieve net zero

ENGIE’s investments in biomethane generation in the UK all start at the small farms that the likes of Penelope call home, as well as businesses based close to the currently three biomethane sites in the UK operated by ENGIE. These businesses, as varied as local chicken farms through to major cider and cheese manufacturers, provide us with waste product that is key to starting the biomethane generation process. That supports local agriculture and reduces the amount of organic waste that might otherwise go to landfill or incineration.

And in truth, we only “borrow” the waste that feeds into our biomethane digesters. Once the waste has been broken down and the gas captured and injected into the grid, we are able to give the product back to those partners as an organic fertiliser.

The process has seen local farmers in the regions around our plants diversify and safeguard their businesses, deliver investment into local education programmes, and generate new jobs and inward investment into rural communities.

That’s the virtuous cycle at work – a true circular economy to support our journey to net zero.

Regions and small enterprises can make a big difference

Everyone has a part to play if the UK is to reach its net-zero ambitions, and that includes all regions and all stakeholders in the communities up and down the UK. Even the smallest of businesses can make a contribution to those ambitions, and that is what we at ENGIE want to champion.

Whether it is supporting local agriculture through biomethane production, or investment in localised energy generation, we believe that regions and businesses of all sizes can make a big difference, just like Penelope.

To find out more, visit engie.co.uk, email us at directsales@engie.com or call 0333 666 0276.

ENGIE are the energy stage sponsor at our flagship conference, ReGeneration Earth. You can also visit them at stand 54 in our exhibition hall. Secure your tickets today.