Czech gas sector discusses at Autumn Gas Conference

The Autumn Gas Conference in Karlovy Vary will feature six thematic blocks over two days, with more than 30 industry representatives speaking. The main theme of the anniversary edition will be the role of gases in the national energy mix and in Europe, both natural gas and renewable gases.

The Autumn Gas Conference began yesterday, framed by the issue of decarbonisation, as is the whole of the European energy sector. It will address decarbonisation, the role of gas in Europe, the integration of gases into the Czech energy mix, the development of hydrogen and biomethane, European gas legislation and the impact of the gas industry on consumers.

After last year, when organisers focused primarily on the ongoing energy crisis and reflecting on its impact on the gas sector and gas supplies, this year’s conference, which is expected to attract more than 300 experts, is fully focused on the discussion around so-called green gases, which were also touched upon last year.

This comes in a year when legislation known as the gas package was approved, aimed, among other things, at facilitating the integration of renewable and low-carbon gases into the existing gas network.

Blue hydrogen has not initially received the same level of political support within the EU, which is primarily focused on renewable hydrogen intended to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. However, the European Commission recently published a draft delegated act on low-carbon hydrogen, which is seen in Czechia as crucial to meeting the hydrogen consumption targets defined by the Updated Hydrogen Strategy.

The Autumn Gas Conference is organised by the Czech Gas Association, which brings together more than 200 of the most important gas-sector organisations, whose representatives give presentations and take part in discussions at the conference. Speakers also include representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and consulting companies.