Natural gas from the ground is not the only gas that we can use for fuel. There are other types of gas that we can use. We can also make natural gas from other materials, such as coal, or rotting plants or vegetables.
Cow manure can be used to make gas.
Methane is a gas found in cow manure, human waste and rotting rubbish. We burn the methane gas from cow manure to make fuel. The manure is put in special tanks to collect the methane which we call ‘biogas’. This gas can be used for heating and lighting, or to generate electricity.
Waste dumps create gas that can be used as a fuel.
Scientists are looking at other ways to make natural gas from rotting waste material. Methane is taken from landfill sites where it collects as the rubbish breaks down. The vegetable remains that we throw away can also be turned into gas.
Gas can be taken from coal.
Heating and refining coal in a power station can remove polluting gases like sulphur. The remaining gases can then be heated to turn gas turbines that produce electricity. There is currently mare coal than gas in the world. If gas runs out, some countries may use coal to make energy.
