Off the gas grid? Should we abandon the gas grid and if so, when?

Off the gas grid?

Should we abandon the gas grid and if so, when?

Ted Wildenberg

Discussion

This presentation does not claim to preach the “truth”, it merely

challenges to think and discuss the energy

production and energy consumption.

Which gas?

What are we talking about:

• In the Netherlands two types of natural gas: high calorific (H-gas) and low calorific (G-gas)

• Also Green Gas (biogas upgraded to G-gas quality) injected in the grid • Biogas directly used for energy production

• What about a hydrogen economy: – How do we produce it?

– Do we need a grid? – Gas or liquid?

Why do we want to get rid of the gas?

 Only the Slochteren gas field (Groningen gas) • Natural gas generates CO₂ emission

 Why do we still use coal?

 In the Netherlands 1 kWh from natural gas is approximately € 0,065 and from electricity it is approximately € 0,20

Who are the consumers of the gas?

– import (H-gas) mainly from Norway and Russia

– domestic production (on- and off-shore, G- and H-gas)  export (G- and H-gas)

• heating and cooking (households, G-gas) • electricity production (mainly H-gas)

• industrial consumption: – fuel (mainly H-gas)

– feedstock (more than 10% of the total Dutch consumption, mainly G-gas)

Numbers *

Domestic energy consumption (2015): • 38% natural gas • 37% oil • 17% coal • 4% renewable • 1 % nuclear • 3% other

Energy consumption households (2015): • 74% natural gas

• 19% electricity • 4% biomass • 3% solar

What about the gas grid?

The Netherlands has the best gas infrastructure in the world! Total length of the main grid is 11.000 km!

The gas grid can be used for Green Gas, hydrogen or other gaseous fuels.

It is law that unused/superfluous parts of the grid have to be removed! What if we remove presently unused parts of the grid or we do not connect new residential areas to the gas grid and after a period of time e.g. the hydrogen economy is booming?

Can we use the off-shore grid for sustainable hydrogen transport created by off-shore wind parcs?

Alternatives

Electricity:

• only 6% is sustainable (biomass included)

• average household consumes per annum 1,500 m3 _{natural gas which is approx.}

15,000kW; average electricity consumption is 3,500 kW so total electricity consumption quadruples

• electricity consumption rises for new products (e.g. electric transport, induction cooking)

• as mentioned before: electric kW is three times as expensive as a natural gas kW

• what about grid balancing?

Hydrogen:

• Most of the hydrogen is manufactured from natural gas

• What infrastructure do we use?

What’s the best way to solve the problem?

Trias Energetica:

1. use less/no energy (isolation, heat exchange etc.)

2. use sustainable energy

What’s the best time to switch from

natural gas to electricity or other energy

sources?

Waiting doesn’t help you or your children!

Start isolating/saving energy and creating your own

energy.

Energy balancing (grid balancing) is a problem but

that’s work in progress.

Discussion

To which extent are the present political statements

realistic?

E.g. Paris agreement mentions 2050, “of the grid in 2020”, fully electric transport in 2025 etc.

Ted Wildenberg

Business Development