Renewable and low-carbon gases in the existing gas infrastructure
The European Commission continues to work on the so-called “gas package” to be adopted in the fourth quarter of 2021. The results of the preparations were discussed at a forum in Madrid in late April.
The European Biogas Association presented its vision for the possibility of access of renewable and low-carbon gases to the existing gas infrastructure. We have chosen the key aspects of the EBA presentation.
According to the International Energy Agency, the potential for annual biomethane production in Europe is up to 125 billion m3.
Conditions for potential realization are:
- setting a global European target for renewable gases,
- ensuring the possibility of connecting biomethane producers to gas networks,
- integration of different sectors of the economy with the energy sector,
- ensuring the use of biomethane in transport and for heating in buildings,
- use of the circular economy principles and opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions, taking into account the analysis of the full life cycle,
- development of the European biomethane market using the guarantees of biomethane origin exchange.
The implementation of the “gas package” will require a revision of the European Gas Directive, as well as the RED II Directive. Such an audit should ensure an influx of investment in biomethane production and equal rights to connect to gas networks, namely:
- The right of the project developer to connect to gas networks, including cases where the project is outside the service area of gas networks.
- Connection planning with the participation of the producers, operators of mainline and distribution gas networks, as well as the regulator.
- Possible modernization of networks on the basis of certain technical and economic criteria and regional potential for biomethane production.
- Fair distribution of connection costs between all biomethane producers and gas network operators.
Source: Full version of the presentation: https://bit.ly/34IB6N4.
