The Federal Ministry of Economics (BMWK) has published a “Green Paper”, i.e. a discussion paper on the future of natural gas distribution networks. It is assumed that the demand for fossil fuels will decrease significantly in the future, for example as heat pumps or district heating supply households. This would have an impact on existing infrastructure such as the gas distribution networks, some of which could be shut down.
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Media reports have already said that “Habeck wants to shut down the gas networks”. A spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Economics emphasized to heise online that the Green Paper does not contain any plans, but is a consultation that asks questions of the industry, especially the network operators.
The Green Paper discusses the extent to which the gas distribution networks will still be needed after 2045 if Germany is to be climate neutral. This will depend, among other things, on the extent to which they can be used to distribute hydrogen. “Technically, this would be possible insofar as the gas distribution networks can be made suitable for hydrogen with sometimes complex modifications.” Accordingly, it can be assumed that the length of the gas distribution networks will decrease significantly from the current 500,000 km.
Important: heat planning
The aim of the Green Paper is to ensure that a secure and economical supply is guaranteed at all times until appropriate supply alternatives are developed, as the BMWK spokeswoman explained. It is clear that the gas distribution networks will continue to operate safely as part of the transformation to climate neutrality.
She went on to explain that local conditions will be important for the more than 700 gas distribution network operators. The municipalities are currently working on heat planning and should decide where they will rely on district heating and where gas distribution networks will be reallocated to hydrogen networks or biomethane. It will then be clear “where a municipality is planning a district heating network, for example, which will then replace the gas distribution network in the long term”.
The industry has many questions about the further regulatory framework, the BMWK continues. This also includes how to ensure that network operators do not simply stop operating networks because they are not economical without there being an equivalent solution for consumers. The BMWK has therefore started a purely technical consultation. It formulates questions about how the future regulatory framework can be designed. Different options are deliberately put forward for an initial discussion. “Consumers must be protected here,” emphasized the BMWK spokeswoman.
Higher network fees possible for private customers
At the moment, every second heating system in Germany is powered by natural gas. With the goal of climate neutrality, it is foreseeable that the number of natural gas heating systems and gas consumption will decrease. “Natural gas networks are financed through the network fees paid by customers and are designed for unlimited operation. A decline in gas customers would distribute the network operating costs among fewer customers, who would have to bear correspondingly higher network fees,” explains the BMWK.
Heat planning is an important component for the transformation of heat supply. This is where the local framework for the future is laid. The European internal gas market package specifies how plans to develop hydrogen distribution networks or to decommission existing gas distribution networks should be handled. Consumer concerns and security of supply must be taken into account, explained the BMWK.
In this respect, it serves consumer protection and also network operators to deal with developments at an early stage. In addition, the paper contains considerations that could also be necessary for the continued operation of gas networks, for example as a hydrogen network. “If, for example, it were planned to transform a certain gas distribution network into a hydrogen network, terminations of natural gas consumers must be possible in order to realize a hydrogen distribution network by repurposing existing natural gas networks,” said the BMWK spokeswoman.
(anw)