<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/utilities-give-up-hope-on-using-hydrogen-in-their-gas-grids-prepare-to-phase-out-pipeline-network/>
"Most energy companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are planning to
reduce investments in their gas grids, as nearly all have given up hope on
using them for transporting hydrogen in a climate-neutral future, according to
a survey by business consultancy Horvath cited by news magazine
Der Spiegel.
“The assessment that gas networks will no longer play a central role in the
future is becoming increasingly widespread,” the consultancy said in a report
seen by the magazine. “Stagnation and decline prevail in the gas business.”
As Germany nears its 2045 net-zero deadline, fossil gas will have to be largely
phased out. Theoretically, Germany’s gas grid could be repurposed to carry
climate-neutral fuels such as biogas or so-called green hydrogen produced with
renewable energy sources.
But these alternative fuels are expected to be prohibitively expensive and
inefficient when it comes to heating buildings. More than 90 percent of the
country’s gas distribution grids are set to become useless, experts have
estimated.
Horvath surveyed 91 utilities in German-speaking countries, 65 percent of which
said they wanted to cut gas grid investments in the coming years. 61 percent
said they expected to significantly reduce or even decommission their gas
networks by 2040.
Only four percent of respondents still see potential for completely converting
gas pipelines to hydrogen, half of last year’s share in the annual survey. In
contrast, two-thirds of survey participants plan to at least double their
spending on electricity storage.
During Germany’s national controversy over how to transition to a
climate-neutral heating less than three years ago, many firms still warned
against writing off the future of gas pipelines, as they were hoping to use
them for green hydrogen in a climate-neutral future.
Germany’s gas networks are almost 600,000 kilometres long and have provided
operators with reliable income streams.
Germany is currently preparing rules that will enable local utilities to phase
out gas grids as they plan for a climate neutral future, allowing them to cut
off consumers without their consent if they are warned years in advance.
In contrast, two thirds of the companies are planning to at least double
spending on battery storage. Utility association VKU said suppliers should be
able to give customers a five-year notice of planned disconnections from the
gas grid, instead of the ten-year minimum notice period currently planned."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
