22/03/2012
Gas Strategy Paper
Gas to Power
Natural
gas has the potential to play a leading role in a successful and
cost-efficient transition to a low-carbon EU economy. Next to a
comparatively low CO2 content, it offers high flexibility - giving
it great potential to act as a back-up for variable renewable
energy sources, such as wind and solar.
As part of our system approach to a strategy on renewable energy in Europe, we believe that - alongside liquid and integrated electricity markets, reinforced grids and active customer participation - access to a flexible and competitive integrated European gas market is essential.
With this internal EU gas market to be completed in 2014, market design is currently at a crossroads. The gap between the electricity and gas markets needs to be bridged through greater convergence of the respective regulatory frameworks. To achieve this, we are actively participating in the development of technical market regulation, including framework guidelines and network codes for capacity allocation, balancing, tariffs and interoperability.
We are also following the regional gas initiatives, set up by the European Commission to speed up market integration across Europe. Finally, we contribute to the Madrid Forum, in which regulators, representatives from the European Commission and member states, as well as other energy stakeholders, discuss issues regarding the creation of a true internal gas market.
In addition to internal market issues, we also develop positions on security of gas supply through our participation in the European Commission's Gas Coordination Group, as well as positions on external energy policy.
