The role of renewable and decarbonised gases

Renewable gases

Full decarbonisation of the EU energy system in a cost-optimal way requires a significant upscale of renewable and decarbonised gases on and off the grid. Renewable gas is the category name for CO2-neutral gases, including biogas and biomethane, green renewable hydrogen and synthetic methane from power-to-gas. Biomethane from waste or biomass, synthetic methane and hydrogen can all be used in stand-alone equipment or blended with natural gas in the existing infrastructure. Renewable methane and hydrogen supplied through gas infrastructure provide dispatchable electricity and offer seasonable storage in a cost-effective way. Biomethane and power to methane can supply up to 1,170 TWh at strongly reduced costs, consisting of 1,010 TWh of biomethane and 160 TWh of power to methane.

Decarbonised gases

Full decarbonisation of the EU energy system in a cost-optimal way requires a significant upscale of renewable and decarbonised gases on and off the grid. Decarbonised gases include hydrogen gained from pyrolysis process as well as hydrogen from natural gas reforming combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Today, hydrogen produced from natural gas reforming delivers 70% of industrial hydrogen. CCS and clean hydrogen will play a key role on the EU’s path towards climate neutrality, in particular for hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy-duty transport, energy-intensive industries and heating.