SUMMARY

Synthetic methane can be distributed through existing gas infrastructure and combusted in existing gas appliances.

By Shardul Sharma

Japanese utility Osaka Gas will undertake a feasibility study on a methanation project in Singapore in cooperation with local companies, it said on March 18.

Osaka Gas has signed an agreement with energy-related companies in Singapore including City Energy and City-OG Gas Energy Services to conduct the feasibility study.

Methanation is a chemical reaction that converts CO2 and hydrogen to methane. When the hydrogen is green, produced from water via electrolysis powered by renewable power, the resulting methane is carbon neutral.

According to the company, synthetic methane can be distributed through existing gas infrastructure, combusted in existing gas appliances, and used to meet the market demand for high-temperature heat that cannot be generated by electricity.

The joint study will explore business models and conduct economic evaluation over an approximately six months period to produce synthetic methane from low carbon hydrogen and CO2 sourced from either overseas or in Singapore.