We must be realistic and honest, not all gases are the same

But not all gases are the same and in the not-too-distant future the need for gas energy will not be just met by natural gas, we will have other gases to use.

Industry and governments in Australia are investing in new renewable gases, such as hydrogen and biomethane. These renewable gases will play a crucial role in Australia's energy transition by offering low or no carbon alternatives to traditional fuels.

Australia is well-positioned to harness its abundant renewable resources, such as solar and wind, to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis, which uses renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The hydrogen could then possibly be stored and transported to areas with high energy demand, helping build a more flexible and resilient energy grid. It also has potential to replace existing fuels in various industrial processes, reducing carbon emissions from sectors such as manufacturing and chemical production.

Another renewable gas, biomethane, is produced by breaking down organic waste, just like your compost bin at home. It uses agricultural, industrial, and food waste, and sewage to produce a clean energy source and help reduce the environmental impact of that waste.

This process captures the methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere when the organic matter breaks down. Since methane is a greenhouse gas, converting it into biomethane for energy use helps reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.

And because biomethane is chemically the same as natural gas it can be injected straight into the existing gas network and used without any changes to the pipeline or the appliances that use the gas.

Renewable gases are already being used in Europe and would reducing Australia's dependence on existing fuels and would also make the energy system more resilient to external shocks and price fluctuations in global energy markets.

Here in Australia we're seeing renewable gas being used on the current season of MasterChef. This is a world-first using carbon neutral biomethane in the kitchen, showing that we can keep cooking the way we know and love with fewer emissions.

We need to move beyond the argument about good energy and bad energy because moving to a net zero future in the lowest cost possible will require gas to play a role and this will include biomethane or hydrogen.

There is a huge focus on hydrogen but we need to encourage the integration of all low carbon gases into the gas portfolio and this means industry and government need to take a closer look to biomethane and direct efforts and investment into both gases.

Phaedra Deckart is CEO of Solstice Energy