Can Industry Keep Gas Distribution Networks Alive? Future Development of the Gas Network in a Decarbonized World: A German Case Study

Stella Oberle (), Marius Neuwirth, Till Gnann and Martin Wietschel
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Stella Oberle: Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Systems IEG, Breslauer Str. 48, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
Marius Neuwirth: Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, Breslauer Str. 48, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
Till Gnann: Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, Breslauer Str. 48, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
Martin Wietschel: Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, Breslauer Str. 48, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 24, 1-20

Abstract: With the growing need for decarbonization, the future gas demand will decrease and the necessity of a gas distribution network is at stake. A remaining industrial gas demand on the distribution network level could lead to industry becoming the main gas consumer supplied by the gas distribution network, leading to the question: can industry keep the gas distribution network alive? To answer this research question, a three-stage analysis was conducted, starting from a rough estimate of average gas demand per production site and then increasing the level of detail. This paper shows that about one third of the German industry sites investigated are currently supplied by the gas distribution network. While the steel industry offers new opportunities, the food and tobacco industry alone cannot sustain the gas distribution network by itself.

Keywords: synthetic methane; hydrogen; CO 2 transport; industry gas demand; gas transportation network; gas distribution network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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