Solving the Household Gas Problem !

When we discovered vast deposits of natural gas in Australia we quickly became an exporter of this type of energy, but we neglected to reserve a base supply for our own industrial and household use.  It was learned that we were experiencing a gas shortage across our entire eastern seabord.  It was proposed that we fill this shortage by a new type of gas extraction known as " fracking " in which the rock containing the gas is shattered and the gas pumped to the surface.

Unfortunately, this was usually under agricultural land and the fracking tended to divert aquifers and create earthquakes.  It was vigorously opposed by farmers and we are now establishing a gas " hub " at Port Kembla.  We seem likely to become an importer of gas from other world countries to meet our domestic needs.

We are also developing a  new means of gas supply.  Electricity applied to water causes it to break into two components - oxygen and hydrogen.  Hydrogen is being converted into fuel cells and water is one of the most common elements on this planet.  There is the expectation that hydrogen will be a useful form of energy in the years ahead.

Now our energy needs are turning in a new direction.  Sydney Water's Malabar treatment plant is able to turn the existing biomass and waste stream into a new clean energy source.  It processes wastewater from 1.4 million households and the biogas produced is about sixty percent methane

This process will be expanded by 2022 and 95,000 megajoules. of biomethane will be produced each year, enough to meet the energy needs of 6300 homes.  It is likely to spread to other wastewater plants throughout the country.

At present, most of the biogas output is being used for electrical power generation and water heating. This is a new source of energy and it comes from a renewable source.  Basically, we are creating energy from sewage.

The gas we are extracting from the ground in Western Australia and exporting to world markets is a finite source.   Eventually it will be exhausted and we will need to look for new fields.  We have in place sewage pipelines to carry away human waste from citizens homes and this is being constantly renewed.

At present, most of this biogas is used for generating electrical energy and heating water but as a constantly  renewable base product it is unlikely to decrease in volume in the future.  It seems that our scientists have devised an energy source that converts a waste product into an asset.  In fact we are converting something that creates harm to humankind if disposed of wastefully, into a product that is urgently needed to sustain the quality of life we value.