The Japan Gas Association (JGA) will issue a clean gas certification to synthetic methane (e-methane) and biogas producers, targeting launch from the April 2024-March 2025 fiscal year.
JGA, an association of city gas utilities, has entrusted state-affiliated energy think-tank the Institute of Energy Economic Japan (IEEJ) with the project, and has set up an evaluation committee.
Many rural areas do not have access to city gas pipelines. E-methane and biogas production facilities will be set up in such areas, JGA said. JGA will issue the certification to e-methane and biogas producers that meet certification standards, to sell it to gas distributors or their customers, such as factories which need cleaner generating fuels to achieve their decarbonisation goals.
The association aims to popularise the certification and make it a national system in the near future, enabling many companies which own e-methane and biogas projects overseas to use it.
The evaluation committee will examine applications for the clean gas certification on a case-to-case basis, as the number of e-methane and biogas producers is not high, JGA said.
Researchers and companies which already operate e-methane and biogas production facilities will determine the fair operation of the scheme and its guidelines, the association added.
