Germany 'Needs Green Gas Imports'
Just as Germany today relies on natural gas imports to cover its demand, so in future imported ‘green gas’ will be needed to meet the country’s climate objectives, says German gas lobby Zukunft Erdgas.
It said that international companies gave presentations on how Germany's gas supply might be decarbonised, at an event in Berlin June 28 entitled ‘Triple G – Green Gas for Germany’. The event was jointly hosted by Zukunft Erdgas (which means 'Gas Future') and German networks association FNB Gas.
“Through the event, the German gas industry would like to initiate the discussion about green gas imports,” said Zukunft Erdgas in a statement June 29. Both lobby groups and the German energy agency Dena argue that Germany’s 500,000 km long gas networks system should be used for green gas, rather than become redundant as natural gas use declines.
Zukunft Erdgas CEO Timm Kehler said: “Since the publication of the Dena lead study, we know that only about half the renewable gas required in 2050 will be generated in Germany. The remainder will be covered by imports.” He said power-to-gas is one of the most promising technologies of the future and can be used to convert surplus renewable power into green hydrogen and synthetic gas.
"One thing is clear: Without green gases, the energy turnaround will not succeed,” said FNB Gas CEO Ralph Bahke: “The gas industry is ready to make its contribution to climate protection. Now it needs concrete incentives to trigger the necessary investments.”
But a key hurdle to this aim will be bringing down the cost of power-to-gas; such projects currently depend on grant-aiding from the EU and German authorities.
Zukunft Erdgas, which has 130 mostly German but some Austrian member companies, said its board on June 27 elected a new chairman, Stephan Kohler, who was Dena CEO from 2006 to 2014.
Above: Zukunft Erdgas CEO Timm Kehler (left) alongside his counterpart FNB-Gas CEO Ralph Bahke (Credit: Phil Dera/Zukunft Erdgas)
Below: Zukunft Erdgas's new chairman Stephan Kohler (Photo credit: Zukunft Erdgas)
