08/31/2023
Source: Energy & Management Powernews
Their draft for a transformation of today's gas industry into a climate-neutral future by 2045 handed industry associations to the Federal Ministry of Economics.
Before the German goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2045, energy associations have drafted a transformation plan for the gas sector. The associations BDEW (Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries), DVGW (German Association of Gas and Water) and Zukunft Gas handed over their draft to the Federal Ministry of Economics (BMWK) on August 30. The transformation path was drafted in an intensive process with member companies and external stakeholders, the associations said.
When handing it over to BMWK Secretary of State Stefan Wenzel, the industry representatives emphasized that the gas industry would develop in the direction of hydrogen use with a view to a climate-neutral energy system. The German gas industry stands unreservedly behind the national and European climate protection targets and will make its contribution to achieving them, the association representatives assured.
The transformation of the gas industry is essential for achieving the climate protection targets, Wenzel said. "In this respect, I am very pleased that the associations are embarking on this process and a broad stakeholder dialogue," he said. Only with a common understanding can the decarbonization of the energy industry succeed, he said. "We will carefully examine the associations' proposals," Wenzel promised.
Feeding new gases into existing grids
"Renewable and decarbonized gases, such as biogas, hydrogen and its derivatives, have very central strengths for energy supply: they are versatile, can be stored well and can therefore be used at any time," explained Kirsten Westphal, a member of BDEW's executive board. This building block, in combination with renewable power generation, can create an integrative and resilient climate-neutral energy system, Westphal said.
"A climate-neutral energy system of the future includes the provision of alternative solutions, rapid response and regeneration capabilities in the event of a load, and sufficiently sized infrastructure," she added. The transformation path for the new gases demonstrates this. At the same time, it makes clear that an appropriate legal and regulatory framework is needed for this, Westphal demanded of policymakers.
A key factor for a successful transformation process of the energy system, according to DVGW Board Chairman Prof. Gerald Linke, the gas network infrastructure: "The core task of the next few years will be the conversion of existing infrastructures to the supply of hydrogen and other new gases."
The gas network is ready to transport new gases as admixtures or 100 percent to the applications in industry and heat, he assured. However, the regulatory framework would have to be adapted. "For hydrogen networks in heat supply, for example, there must be no different planning requirements than for other heat networks," Linke cautioned.
Timm Kehler, chairman of Zukunft Gas, said that the gas industry could not plan and implement its transformation alone, but rather that this had to be the result of close and cooperative exchange with all relevant players. "With the industry's transformation path, we are underlining our openness to dialogue and contributing to the mammoth task we face as a society," he said. If the gas industry becomes a hydrogen economy, he said, it will strengthen the resilience of the energy transition.
The " Transformation Pathway New Gases 2045 " is available online.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
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