European Union: Natural gas will be essential in the transition to green energy

Natural gas will play an important role in some sectors in the transition to renewable energy, Frans Timmermans, European Commission Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, has pointed out, adding that existing infrastructure could make the transition to hydrogen cheaper.

The European Commission recently presented a €750 billion recovery fund intended to help member states cope with the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. Despite the “do no harm” principle, which generally excludes support for projects using fossil fuels, Timmermans pointed out that the European Union cannot be so strict in the case of natural gas.

“We are trying to avoid fossil fuel-based projects as much as possible. However, I must admit that in some sectors it will probably be necessary to use natural gas in the transition from coal to renewable energy,” Timmermans said in response to a question about support for fossil fuels.

Existing gas infrastructure can be adapted for future use with hydrogen. This could significantly reduce investment costs for its use. The European Union has long regarded hydrogen as one of its priorities and expects it to make up a substantial part of the future energy mix.

“The more we ensure dual use of [existing gas] infrastructure, the cheaper the transition to green hydrogen will be in the future,” Timmermans said.

Some European Union countries, including the Czech Republic, have already sought during preparations for the recovery fund to have natural gas classified as a clean energy source. This would also make gas infrastructure construction projects eligible for support. Gas has long been a subject of dispute among member states, and during negotiations on the European Green Deal, to which the fund subscribes, it was not explicitly included among either clean or harmful energy sources.