BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 13
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
Gas must be a part of delivering EU 2050 climate neutrality, Trend reports citing Eurogas.
Eurogas is an association representing the European gas wholesale, retail and distribution sectors towards the EU institutions. Founded in 1990, Eurogas currently comprises 48 companies and associations from 22 countries.
“Only a cost-effective combination of all decarbonisation options can deliver EU 2050 climate neutrality. Gas – natural, renewable and decarbonised – must be part of the solution. The European Climate Law should set out a clear pathway for renewable and decarbonised gas towards 2050, with ambitious and realistic intermediary targets for 2030 and 2040,” said the association.
Eurogas notes that a credible plan for scaling all decarbonisation options is instrumental.
“Ensuring EU leadership on climate change mitigation requires a decarbonisation pathway that can be exported to other parts of the world. A realistic and affordable energy transition will also require the EU to remain part of the global energy market, to enable clean energy imports. The 2050 pathway must include natural, renewable and decarbonised gas in combination with carbon capture utilisation and storage,” said the organization.
Gas can help avoid methane emissions in sectors such as agriculture, for instance through improved manure management for biogas production, according to Eurogas.
“Avoiding these emissions and injecting purified methane allows up to 206% reduction of GHG emissions compared to a fossil fuel. By-products from biogas production displace chemical fertilisers and biogas can help to improve soil quality and productivity through intermediate and cover crops.”
Revising the internal gas market rules will be essential to contribute to this ambition (e.g. gas decarbonisation targets; inclusion of renewable and decarbonised gas in TEN-E), said Eurogas.
“Additionally, quick and sustainable decarbonisation wins can be achieved through coal and oil to gas switching in power generation, industry, transport and heating. New investments in cleaner technologies should be given comfort that they will not be shut down or penalised by arbitrary administrative decisions, not driven by market dynamics, during their usual investment cycle.”
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