AS INDUSTRY IS TRANSFORMING: “OUR PRODUCTS WILL ENABLE CLIMATE-NEUTRALITY“

Gaseous solutions play a critical role in meeting the objectives of COP26 and delivering decarbonisation, by facilitating the decarbonization of hard to abate sectors, accelerating the phase out of coal and enabling integration of renewables. Ahead of COP26, the European gas industry calls for a regulatory framework that is inclusive, progressive, and technology neutral.

14 October, Brussels. “The gas industry has the will and the technology to protect our climate and advance decarbonization. It is transforming to ensure that its products contribute and enable climate-neutrality - supplying the market with natural, low-carbon and renewable gases” said Dawn Summers, COO of Wintershall Dea and President of GasNaturally, the platform representing the entire European gas value-chain. A few weeks before the World Climate Summit COP26 is taking place in Glasgow, Summers addressed a high-level event on 14 October in Brussels, together with Cristian Buşoi, Chairman of the European Parliament's ITRE Committee, and Tom Howes from the International Energy Agency, among others.

Summers stated during the discussion: “Gas should be seen as the second pillar of the energy transition alongside electrification. Today the focus is on natural gas, and increasingly will also be about low-carbon gases such as hydrogen. A credible path to economy-wide decarbonisation will require more than just electrification. Harnessing the strengths of both electricity and gas is the most efficient and fastest way to create a sustainable low-carbon economy.“

The representatives of the gas industry also address political leaders with a joint Call to Action before COP26. "Global regulatory and financial frameworks that foster the development of innovative CCS and hydrogen technologies and infrastructure are needed to secure global net zero by mid-century. There is no “carbon lock-in” effect as these innovative technologies will provide solutions for low carbon energy systems, and support highly-skilled jobs within industrial and energy workforce.”, said Francois-Regis Mouton, Chair of the GasNaturally Steering Committee.

GasNaturally is a partnership of eight associations from across the whole gas value chain. Our members are involved in gas exploration and production, transmission, distribution, wholesale and retail operations, as well as gas in transport. The whole
industry is working on ideas for how to deliver low-carbon and renewable gases projects, including CCS and hydrogen.

“The European Hydrogen strategy states that ‘Europe is highly competitive in clean hydrogen technology manufacturing and is well positioned to benefit from a global development of clean hydrogen as an energy carrier.’ I agree, and that's precisely where the gas industry wants to make its contribution”, said Summers.