How and to which extent can the gas sector contribute to a climate-neutral European energy system? A qualitative approach

Abstract

Background: Mitigating climate change requires fundamentally redesigned energy systems in which renewable energy sources ultimately replace fossil fuels such as natural gas. In this context, the question how and to which extent the gas sector can contribute to an increasingly climate-neutral future EU energy system is heavily debated among scholars, energy industry experts, and policy makers. Methods: We take a two-step approach: we begin with a review of studies from energy industry and academia to discuss potential gas sector contributions from a holistic energy system design point of view; this is followed by a comprehensive discussion of technical potentials, micro-economic conditions, and societal implications of renewable gas. We then enrich our findings with the results of an empirical focus group process. Results: The gas sector can not only contribute to balancing volatile renewable energy production but also enable the supply of renewable energy to end-users in gaseous form; based on existing infrastructure. This could reduce costs for society, increase public acceptance, and ultimately speed up the energy system transformation. There is the theoretical technical potential to substitute major parts of natural gas with renewable gas of biogenic and synthetic nature. This, however, crucially requires a supportive policy framework like the one established for renewable electricity. Conclusion: Given the societal benefits and the competitiveness of renewable gas as compared to renewable alternatives, energy policy makers should incorporate renewable gas and the existing gas infrastructure in the future energy system framework. The objective should be an optimized interplay of various energy vectors and their infrastructure along the entire energy supply chain. This requires a level playing field for different renewable technologies across different policy areas and a form of public support that strikes the balance between facilitating the gradual substitution of natural gas by renewable gas while maintaining public acceptance for this transformation despite higher costs for end-users.

Green Hydrogen and Social Sciences: Issues, Problems, and Future Challenges

“…About policy design, the literature shows that the relationship between policies and economics is intrinsic, given the interest in analyzing how hydrogen can help decarbonize industrial processes [18,19], the emphasis placed on the effect that transition strategies and regulatory frameworks can have over the consolidation of hydrogen economies [46,47], and the investment in this kind of energy [48]. The policy requires strengthening the substitution of fossil fuels for renewable energy systems [60]. Insufficiencies in the designs devoted to this work are highlighted [61], but also encouraging prospects in countries that, although they have large sources of renewable energy, such as African countries, suffer from technological deficiencies that affect the deployment of this type of energy sources [20].…”

Evaluation on the Cost of Energy Transition: A Case Study of Fujian, China

“…The EU uses quantitative indicators to encourage members to accelerate renewable energy development, with fixed electricity prices or premium subsidies, as well as carbon trading or carbon taxes. Combining carbon standards, the energy transition continues to be accelerated (Lebelhuber and Steinmüller, 2019;Schmid et al, 2019). Among emerging economies, India has continuously increased the proportion of renewable energy through policies such as fixed electricity price and renewable quota system (Lawrenz et al, 2018).…”

Towards a Sustainable Design: Integrating Spatial Planning with Energy Planning When Designing a University Campus

“…For instance, if the project depends on solar energy, the chosen area must be free of clouds, flat land, and have a high sun coefficient; or if the project depends on wind energy, there is an extrusive relation between area height and the energy produced by the air turbines [4]. Existing spatial plans such as local spatial development strategies, local plans, and regional plans could be viable to protect renewable resources by zoning relevant districts, where the major components of the integrated energy and resource plans set the border for spatial planning [11,13].…”