Alternative gas fuel proposed

Press, 21 July 1980, Page 7

Alternative gas fuel proposed

Methane should be corn sidered as an alternative gas for storage and distribution by the Christ- . church gasworks, according to the Canterbury Promotion Council. The council has written to the Christchurch Gas Company and the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) suggesting that other alternative gases be consi dred to make use .of the “large-scale investment in storage and distribution facilities” at the gasworks. A member of the council’s regional development committee, Mr D. H. Penney, said there was no reason _ technical or mechanical why methane gas could not be put through the gaswork’s pipes, provided they were in good condition. Only the nozzles on consumers’ appliances would have to be changed. Vegetable matter, including lawn clippings, and animal waste could be

treated by digesters to produce a “virtually nonexhaustable” supply of rnethane gas for the city’s gas pipes. Mr Penney said that he had had an experimental unit working on his oto property. After 24 hours, using a half-gallon jar of lawn clippings, the unit had produced enough methane gas to keep a small bunsen burner going for 12 minutes. Such a programme would help meet the great need for energy alternatives and help keep Christchurch tidy. The biogas plant would be based on such cellulose rich wastes as lawn and park clippings, light hedge trimmings, vegetable and plant refuse and animal wastes if necessary. Much of the cost of new capital investment needed, such as digesters and the improvement of reti« culation units where necessary, could be recovered

progressively from the sale of high-grade nutrient sludge in the form of fertilisers which ‘ resulted from the process Mr Penney said he was not in a position to go into the economics of the proposal but this was not as important as the need to meet the energy crisis. The potential for energy production, particularly in the Canterbury farming area was “fantastic.” In its letter to the gas company and Mr Birch, the council suggests liquified petroleum gas as a. possible alternative. L.P.G. could easily be transported in bulk carriers and “surely at a rate cheaper than the cost involved in constructing any Cook Strait pipe line” Such a service could be made more economic by extending it to other parts of the South Island. Mr Penney said that he could not accept that L.P.G. brought from the North Island would be aS cheap as a “locally produced, naturally renewable resource.” The council says that it is concerned that the decision to close the city gasworks in March, 1982, has been made with little appreciation of the wider effects. Many industries relied heavily on gas. Many homes had recently converted to gas as an alternative conservation measure. As the North Island was being ..served by natural gas “some thought should have been given to alternatives,” before the final decision to close the city gasworks is made, the council says.