What outlook for the EU gas infrastructure?

Prospects for gas infrastructure

Online debate with IEA, ARERA, and GRTgaz

The 2019 edition of the World Energy Outlook examined, among other things, the prospects for gas infrastructure. This flagship IEA’s publication concludes that: “the next decade is a critical one for gas infrastructure. Short-term decisions on whether to invest in gas grids will have major long-term implications. Questions about the relative importance, and respective roles, of electricity and gas networks are central to the design of energy transitions to a low emissions future”.

Despite the rising agreement over the need to use both electrons and molecules in the decarbonised energy system, the future of gas infrastructure in Europe is far from certain. Some EU Member States continue to invest in traditional natural gas pipelines and interconnectors, while others such as the Netherlands announce ambitious plans for developing a ‘hydrogen economy’.

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This online debate aims to address the following questions:

• How could the recent European Investment Bank decision to stop financing the gas infrastructure after 2021 and the announcement of the European Green Deal influence the development of the new gas infrastructure in Europe? What are the trends in non-European countries concerning new infrastructure development?
• How to ensure that the levels of investment in the new gas infrastructure is compatible with both environmental and energy security objectives at an affordable price for EU citizens? How could the regulatory framework serve this purpose?
• How are infrastructure companies accommodating the uncertainties in investment decisions? Do they consider biomethane, hydrogen and other low-carbon gases as a promising investment opportunity?

This online event constitutes a part of the online block of the “Regulation of Gas markets” training, which will take place between 16 and 20 March 2020 in Florence. You can still register!

For more information, visit the course page.