Future of gas
Lawmakers slam EU support for fossil gas projects undermining Green Deal
Energy projects that are incompatible with Europe’s climate goals are about to be granted priority status by the European Commission, EU lawmakers warned on Thursday (11 November).
Europe’s gas supply squeeze engineered by Russia, Poland says
Statements from Russian officials linking an increase of gas deliveries to Europe with the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline are “manipulative” and aimed at cementing Gazprom’s dominant position on the EU gas market, Poland has argued in a letter to the European Commission.
Europe’s gas decarbonisation package: Putting new wine in old wineskins?
The best gas package that the European Commission can come up with may not be a gas package at all, but rather an integrated system package that creates opportunities for competing energy sources to meet end-uses, write Megan Anderson and Jan Rosenow.
Dangerous liaisons: requesting additional gas from Russia will be politically sensitive
EU institutions have limited room to manoeuvre when it comes to going to Russia with requests for more gas in order to alleviate the energy crisis and help Europe get through the winter, warns Andrei Belyi.
EU points to upcoming gas market reform in response to price surge
The European Commission will use a long-planned reform of EU gas market rules, due in December, to address the current supply crunch on the market. This is according to the EU’s energy chief who added there are sufficient reserves to last the winter.
The only quick-fix to Europe’s energy price crisis is saving energy
Faced with rising energy prices, the only thing Europe can quickly do to prevent a potentially difficult winter is to actively promote energy conservation in both the residential and industrial sectors, write Simone Tagliapietra and Georg Zachmann.
EU leaders to discuss strategic gas reserve at summit: von der Leyen
European Union leaders will discuss later in October the idea of setting up an EU strategic gas reserve and the decoupling of electricity prices from gas prices, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday (5 October).
Lawmakers ban fossil gas from EU energy infrastructure funding, with some exceptions
Lawmakers in the European Parliament voted on Tuesday (28 September) to remove support for fossil gas in EU funding rules for cross-border energy infrastructure known as the TEN-E regulation.
The energy crisis shows fossil gas is not dependable
The energy crisis will be painful for many Europeans and emergency measures are needed to ensure gas keeps flowing to keep people warm for the next few months. But the EU must also recognise that this is good money thrown after bad, writes Jonathan Gant.
EU must end fossil fuel heating by 2025
Ecodesign and energy labelling will deliver a third of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions target – but the European Commission is dodging the chance to set heating on the right path, by greenlighting the sale of polluting gas boilers beyond 2030, write Mélissa zill and Davide Sabbadin.
EU, US urge others to join methane reduction pledge
The European Union and the United States on Saturday (18 September) called on more nations to join a pledge to slash methane gas emissions and cut warming by at least 0.2 degrees Celsius by 2050.
EU methane rules must cover the entire gas supply chain, including imports
A group of environmental organisations and global energy companies, including Shell, have called for mandatory EU rules on methane encompassing the entire gas value chain, including imports from abroad, writes Maarten Wetselaar.
Italgas named preferred bidder for Greek gas grid
Greek privatisation agency HRADF has named Italgas as preferred bidder in a tender for the sale of state-controlled gas distribution network DEPA Infrastructure, it said on Thursday (9 September).
How to regulate hydrogen networks
The need for regulating networks for transporting hydrogen is becoming increasingly urgent, but the legislation needs to be designed in a way to give the market flexibility to overcome the challenges ahead, writes Noé van Hulst.
Summer controversy illustrates polarisation of hydrogen debate
An August research paper by two US scholars, Robert Howarth and Mark Jacobson, cast doubt over the environmental merits of 'blue' hydrogen made from fossil gas with carbon capture technology, triggering fierce reactions from commentators and the industry.
Greek fires: Blaming climate change is only the start, phasing out fossil fuels is the rest
If Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is to help save Greece – and the planet – from the climate emergency, the changes his government must make are dramatic, writes Jonathan Gant.
French gas association optimistic about reaching 2023 biomethane target this year
The gas industry is committed to ensuring that by 2050, 100% of gas is renewable or decarbonised, but to achieve that, it will have to diversify, Patrick Corbin, president of the French Gas Association (AFG) said in an interview with EURACTIV France.
French gas storage mechanism seen paving way for 100% renewable gas
The European Commission's green light for a natural gas storage aid scheme in France was welcomed by infrastructure operator Storengy, which says it will allow the transition to 100% renewable gas. EURACTIV France reports.
Rebound in global gas demand threatens international climate targets – IEA
A rebound in global gas demand to 2024 following the record fall last year is poised to knock the world off track from reaching its goal of net zero emissions by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned on Monday (5 July).
Decarbonising natural gas requires regulatory reform
The EU’s upcoming hydrogen and gas market decarbonisation package needs to address an array of key questions, including redirecting subsidies away from fossil fuels towards cleaner and renewable gases, argue scholars from the Stockholm Environment Institute.
Gas infrastructure across Europe leaking planet-warming methane: report
The potent greenhouse gas methane is spewing out of natural gas infrastructure across the European Union because of leaks and venting, according to video footage made available to Reuters.
France fails to adopt clear position on future gas funding
As EU energy ministers agreed last week to phase out gas-hydrogen blending projects, France did not adopt a clear position on the matter even if this means prolonging the bloc’s reliance on fossil fuels. EURACTIV France reports.
Infrastructure dispute reveals deep divisions in Europe over gas
The EU's 27 energy ministers on Friday (11 June) came to an uneasy compromise on the revision of EU rules covering investments in cross-border energy infrastructure, the so-called TEN-E regulation. The fraught debate sets an unwelcome precedent for future debates over gas.