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Net zero, made simple

You might have heard the term net zero, or net zero carbon emissions – but what does it actually mean? And why does it matter to us?

The science of it all

Almost all human activity produces carbon emissions. These are harmful gases that are destroying the atmosphere and causing global warming, or climate change. This comes from:

  • The things we produce - like food and materials.
  • Our every day activities - like driving cars and heating homes.
  • The impact of our waste - which needs to be reused, recycled, or disposed of.

Currently, our network transports mostly natural gas (methane) - a fossil fuel - and a portion of biomethane, a renewable source.

What this means for you

In future, you’ll need to consider greener ways of heating your home. You may have already heard of heat pumps and solar panels, which work great for home property types. Other homes and businesses will need different solutions, which is where we come in. 

Green energy for our customers

We're exploring how we can use green gases like hydrogen and biomethane to supply homes, businesses and transport. Some communities are already receiving high volumes of biomethane.

We want to make sure our customers have the right solution for their homes and businesses in the green energy transition.

Biomethane

The biomethane we connect to our network is produced by the anaerobic digestion of waste materials like food, crop and animal waste. The biogas is then upgraded into biomethane. After rigorous gas-quality checks, it’s ready to enter the gas network. Biomethane works very similar to the natural gas you have in your home now, and customers don't notice any difference.
Hydrogen

The energy from hydrogen can be used in the same way as natural gas. Importantly, it doesn’t produce any carbon when it burns – and it can be created using clean energy, like wind power. You still have a boiler and radiators and control the temperature in the same way – so hydrogen heating will feel familiar, and converting to it will be easy.
Delivering sustainability

Sustainability and achieving net zero is about the journey, not just the destination. We have a responsibility to deliver cleaner and greener energy to customers in a way that is fair, whilst doing what we can to look after our environment.  Every year, we report on our progress and achievements and identify our next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions

We know you have lot of questions about net zero and what it means for you. We're on hand to answer them, giving you reassurance about the future of energy.

Our research

As a gas distribution network, we mostly transport natural gas - a fossil fuel - and a portion of biomethane. This is the gas you use in your boiler to heat your home and cook your food. We know that we need an alternative to keep homes safe and warm and businesses running. Part of our work, and our role in reaching net zero emissions, is researching and testing what we can use instead.

Find out more