In 2022, Phoenix and the other NI Gas Network Operators (NI GNOs) – firmus energy, Evolve, Mutual Energy and GNI(UK) - launched a joint plan to fully decarbonise the region’s gas network by 2050. This Pathway to Net Zero sets out how the gas network will transition away from natural gas to renewable alternatives such as biomethane and hydrogen to support NI’s emission targets.

NI has several natural advantages that provides the region with enormous potential to indigenously produce significant volumes of renewable gases. For example, NI has a comparatively large agriculture sector which, if fully harnessed, would supply over 80% of the region’s distribution network demand and at the same time improve farm productivity, reduce farm emissions, and help tackle NI’s significant manure-based nutrient surplus.

With its modern plastic pipes suitable for re-purposing to renewable gases, NI’s £1 billion Gas Network can continue to act as a strategic enabling asset which supports the decarbonisation of multiple sectors including homes, industry, transport, power and agriculture – sectors which encapsulate over 80% of NI’s Greenhouse Gas emissions. 

We envision that the NI Gas Network will evolve to become a significant contributor to a regional decarbonised energy system that will holistically incorporate renewable gases, renewable electricity, e-fuels and carbon capture. Such a ‘whole system’ approach involves adopting an integrated approach which best utilises the benefits of renewable electricity (efficiency etc.) with renewable gases (flexibility etc.) to best support an affordable net-zero transition for consumers in Northern Ireland.