Concerns about distributed gas generation

by David Hetherington

Two curious articles raising concerns about distributed gas generation by Drew Warne-Smith in the Australian over the last couple of days.  One queries the capacity of the gas network to supply fuel for tri-generation  and the other suggests health risks as a result of nitrous oxide emissions.
 
Both articles set up straw men.  Of course, it will require more gas to be transported into CBD areas as fuel, but this is hardly rocket science.  The Netherlands get 30% of their total electricity production from distributed gas and manage to supply far more people at a higher density than we’ll have to here in Australia. And the distribution economics seem to stack up there.
 
The nitrous oxide (NOx) story is even more of a beat-up when put in the context of vehicle emissions.  Let’s say there are 2 million cars in Sydney (and probably more).  Each consumes 1kW per day so we’re talking 2,000 mW of energy generation, with gasoline producing far more NOx and particulates than distributed gas.  And that’s before you start including trucks.
 
The observation in the first article by Matthew Wright of Beyond Zero Emissions that the costs of gas is uncertain is something of a non-sequiter.  Show me a fuel source whose costs are certain.  Surely that’s not a reason to avoid a proven technology which can demonstrably reduce CO2 emissions tomorrow?