Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
In the coming years, gas will become more attractive in power generation in Europe, as some countries are moving away from coal, Trend learned from Eurogas.
"Gas has a positive future in Europe. As national governments intensify their decarbonisation activities, gas will play an important role in this. For the last three years, we have seen growth rates in gas demand between 4 and 7 percent," said the association.
"This confirms a steady trend, which is driven not only by the weather-dependent heating and cooling sector and economic growth, but also by larger use of gas in power generation and a new market for gas: transport."
Eurogas said that since the Third Energy Package was adopted in 2009, the EU gas market has progressed in terms of interconnection, increased competition, development of hubs, liquidity, and diversification of supply routes and sources.
"It has demonstrated its robustness and resilience since then, ensuring security of supply and, in many Member States, competitive prices. However, this should not hide the fact that a number of Member States still needs to make considerable progress in market opening, and a few missing links, including reverse flow possibility, should be put in place," said the association.
"Gas also continues to be the preferred choice for heating in many member states. As the economy is picking up, industry may be driving demand, too. The transport sector is a large growth segment for gas – both CNG and LNG."
Eurogas was founded in 1990 as a non-profit organization to represent the interests of the gas industry in one strong voice towards European and global stakeholders.
Its 44 members currently comprise companies, national associations and international organizations all engaged in the wholesale, retail and distribution of gas in Europe.
The association aims to strengthen the role of gas in the energy mix by establishing an ongoing dialogue with European industry players, global producers of gas and relevant institutions such as the European Commission.
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