The role of natural gas in accelerating the energy transition

Room H-360, Palais des Nations and ONLINE

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At its 31^st session in 2022 the UNECE Committee on Sustainable Energy (CSE) called upon its subsidiary bodies (Groups of Experts) to formulate proposals that support efforts to building more resilient energy systems in the region[1], with the view to help member States understand and prioritize what they can realistically achieve, given their complex and unique socioeconomic priorities.

The CSE and its subsidiary bodies have engaged actively in this field since then. At its 32^nd session in 2023 the CSE endorsed the Platform on Resilient Energy Systems (ECE/ENERGY/2023/11)[2]. In the past few years, the CSE discussed many questions related to energy transition. To connect these two priorities – resilience and transition – in September 2024 at its 33^rd session the CSE will focus on building resilient energy systems in pursuit of a just energy transition[3]. The CSE’s 32^nd session recalled that building a resilient energy system requires engagement of all stakeholders to the extent that warrants their ownership of the process and a sense of responsibility for results. The CSE acknowledged that transition towards climate neutrality, while creating new opportunities, may be disruptive to carbon- and energy-intensive industries, as well as to countries and communities depending on them (ECE/ENERGY/2023/11).

While creating sustainable energy systems is essential, it is a process that requires time and pursues paths according to the underlying conditions and situations of each member State, and therefore a single approach for everyone is not realistic. Fossil fuels will continue to play a role in the energy mix for some time, alongside innovations such as carbon markets and carbon capture and storage technologies aimed at minimising their impact on the environment. Natural gas, particularly, has been categorized as a transition fuel due to its availability in large volumes and its affordability.  The Report of the Group of Experts on Gas (ECE/ENERGY/GE.8/2024/2) recognizes the fundamental role of natural gas in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, meeting growing global energy demands, and ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

The electrification of the end use (of energy) is perceived as one of the key strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. However, electrification alone cannot solve all energy challenges, particularly in the case of the hard-to-abate industries such as steel and cement that require reducing agents and high temperatures processes. Grid stability also becomes a more challenging issue when the share of intermittent renewable electricity reaches a certain threshold. The UNECE Group of Experts on Gas on several occasions reiterated that not every energy end-use can be electrified with current technologies. The Group concluded that the future energy systems could be seen as an interplay between “electrons, photons, and molecules” (that is, between renewable electricity, solar irradiation, and low-carbon gases such as hydrogen, methane, and their derivatives). At the same time, the nature of “electrons, photons, and molecules” in the future energy systems should not be subject to discrimination and restrictions on access to markets. A certain incorporation of renewable and low carbon gases (e.g., methane, biomethane, syngas and hydrogen), if it’s done efficiently[4] and together with the development of carbon, capture and sequestration (CCS) can also contribute to meeting climate ambitions.

In this context, natural gas remains one of the most opted types of energy resource today due to its relative environmental properties, availability of utilization technologies, energy parameters (calorific value), cost, and usability.

What will be the role on natural gas in accelerating energy transition?

The webinar will discuss, from various angles, the role of natural gas in achieving resilient energy systems and energy transition. Some of the questions that will be explored are: