The amount of biomethane injected into the gas networks has seen a threefold increase since 2014. Seven Transmission System Operators (TSOs) are committed to continue this development and further develop the gas system making it carbon neutral in 2050. The advancement of this transition was the topic on a roundtable discussion hosted by the Green Gas Initiative.
In mid February, the CEOs of member companies of the Green Gas Initiative (GGI) met with representatives from the European Commission, distribution system operators (DSO) and hydrogen sector to enable a high level discussion on the opportunities related to the advancement of a green transition in the European gas system.
At the meeting in particular, three topics were discussed: the cooperation between transmission system operators (TSO) and DSOs in the green transition, the perspectives of renewable hydrogen in the gas system as well as sector coupling that could provide major benefits by coupling gas, power, heat and mobility infrastructures with the aim of making optimal use of potentials of each. The participants committed themselves to further deepening cooperation.
Florian Ermacora, head of unit DG Energy from the European Commission underlined that: “Creating an integrated European market for renewables is crucial in the next step towards an energy system based on clean energy. The gas system can have a great potential here – something that we would like to know more about. We are therefore looking forward to following the work of the TSO’s and learn more about their work towards a carbon neutral gas system”.
Today over 20% of the energy in Europe is transported by gas infrastructure. It is flexible and already designed for the transmission of renewable gases. Notably, in the past three years, from 2014-2017, the amount of biomethane injected into gas networks has increased threefold in the GGI member countries with some countries having more than 10 percent biogas injected into their respective gas systems. GGI is committed to further increasing this amount as part of its commitment to the energy transition and the greening of the European gas system.
“We are highly committed to a carbon neutral gas system by 2050. In order to achieve this we are ready to take the next step towards an integrated energy system with the gas system as a central contributor. We are pleased today to have further intensified the necessary cooperation in order to achieve this goal“, said Torben Brabo of Energinet and currently chair of the GGI.
The roundtable discussion was attended by the CEOs of the GGI members, Florian Ermacora, DG Energy at the European Commission, Eva Hennig, Chairman Distribution Committee, Eurogas and Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, Secretary General of Hydrogen Europe.
The independent gas infrastructure operators Energinet.dk (Denmark), Fluxys Belgium, Gasunie (the Netherlands), Gaznat (Switzerland), GRTgaz (France), ONTRAS (Germany) and Swedegas (Sweden).
Source: Green Gas initiative
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