Firstgas and Ecogas: first biomethane flows through New Zealand's gas grid

The companies First Renewables (part of the Firstgas group) and Ecogas announced in November 2024 the start of operation of the biogas upgrading plant in Reporoa and the injection of renewable gas into the Firstgas network. It is the first commercial “biogas to pipeline” project in New Zealand, and the gas is made from food waste and other organic residues processed at the Ecogas plant.

Division of roles

Ecogas runs the anaerobic digestion in Reporoa. First Renewables, a company in the Firstgas group, built and operates the upgrading unit, which turns biogas into biomethane of the quality required for the grid. The changes to the NZS 5442 standard in April 2024 created a formal basis for such injection. According to Bioenergy Australia, the design and engineering work for this unit was carried out by Verbrec.

Scale

According to Firstgas, maximum production is estimated at 160 TJ per year, that is gas for about 7,200 households; one source gives an emissions reduction of about 11,000 t of CO₂ per year. This is a very small share of national gas consumption, but important as a precedent. The upgrading plant was built by First Renewables under an agreement with Ecogas.

Delays

Announcements in 2023 spoke of a start in the second quarter of 2024. According to Firstgas, gas began to flow on 17 October 2024, and the announcement followed on 6 November; an opening event was also announced for the following year.

Why it matters

Firstgas states that it wants to see many biogas-to-pipeline plants in the country. An earlier report by Beca and Fonterra estimated that renewable gases could reduce about 4% of energy-related emissions and cover about one fifth of gas consumption by 2050. Reporoa is the first step on this path, although securing feedstock and certifying renewable gas for customers remain challenges.

What this means for Poland

The model of dividing roles – the biogas plant operator separate from the operator of upgrading and the grid – is close to Polish biomethane projects carried out with the participation of a gas pipeline operator. It is worth noting that the gas grid here is infrastructure that lowers the cost of access to customers but does not replace agreements with buyers of renewable gas.