OGRepublic August Edition

INDUSTRY NEWS
Natural Gas a Vector of Energy Transition - GECF
T
he Gas Exporting Countries Forum
(GECF) supports the intention of
the EU to consider gas as a
sustainable source of energy under the
new green labelling system, the Secretary-
General of the association of 19 leading
gas-exporting countries has said.
Speaking as a keynote at the 8th Session of
the Group of Experts on Gas of UNECE
(United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe), HE Yury Sentyurin said the Forum
hopes that the European Parliament and
the EU Member States will support the
sustainability rating of natural gas when
they are due to discuss this next month.
“GECF believes that all UNECE member
States should recognise the use of gas,
especially in cases where the gas
technology replaces higher-emitting
power sources and can cut emissions,” said
HE Sentyurin.
The UNECE’s Group of Experts on Gas is a
high-level policy consultation body to
empower and inform the work of UNECE
Committee on Sustainable Energy. At
present, UNECE boasts 56 member States
in Europe, North America and Asia,
including Russia and the U.S. – two
members that are expected to provide it
with up to 70% of gas production by 2050.
Citing the latest available figures available
from the GECF Global Gas Outlook 2050,
the Secretary General noted that natural
gas supply in the UNECE region will
increase at an annual average growth rate
of 0.8%, representing an overall increase of
29%, climbing from 2,320 billion cubic
metres (bcm) in 2019 to around 3,000 bcm
in 2050.
“The UNECE region will be responsible for
18% of the total gas demand growth
through to 2050. Despite ambitious
decarbonisation targets in many UNECE
members, natural gas will retain a critical
role in region’s energy mix, being the most
resilient hydrocarbon resource,” added HE
Sentyurin.
Whilst the 8th edition of the Group of
Experts on Gas was held in the backdrop of
COVID-19, the session noted that the
UNECE region is falling short of its
commitments and objectives on
sustainable energy. The Group of Experts
concluded that its key contribution to
achieving these objectives could be in two
areas: (a) deep transformation of the
energy system; and (b) reducing the
environmental impact of energy.
Natural gas, it was asserted, should begin to be
seen as beyond a fuel, and as a vector of energy
transition including, notably, hydrogen and biogas.
This catalytic potential of gas was highlighted by
other distinguished global gas executives who
had gathered to tackle the gas-powered post-
COVID-19 recovery as a step towards a
decarbonised world. The UNECE’s focus of
attention this year in the context of Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) is air quality and
health.
Francisco de la Flor Garcia, Chair of the Group of
Experts on Gas thanked GECF and International
Gas Union (IGU) for sharing case studies and
best practices on the role of gas in improving
urban air quality.
“A (UN) General Assembly resolution adopted
on 21 Dec 2020 recognised the key role that
natural gas plays in many countries and calls
upon governments to enhance energy security
through sharing of best practices in security of
gas supply and demand. I interpret this
resolution as a clear mandate for our continued
work,” said Mr Garcia.
Delivering the statement, the IGU President Joe
M. Kang noted: “Continued calls for only
electrical pathways to Paris (Agreement)
targets is a setup for failure on both Paris and
the Sustainable Development Goals. The
International Gas Union believes an achievable
transition is one that delivers clean, secure and
affordable energy, using electrons and natural
gas and hydrogen molecules.”
The Group’s mandate is a long-term, holistic
exploration of the role of gas in attaining SDGs.
Evy Maffini
In addition to its central theme – SDG7 (Access to
affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy
for all), in every two-year cycle the Group focuses
on a subset of SDGs. In 2022-2023 the Group of
Experts will take a deeper look at SDG3 (health),
SDG 9 (Industry and Innovation) and SDG 11
(sustainable cities).
Other areas that came under discussion were best
practices in methane management in the gas
sector, decarbonisation through synergies between
gas and electricity, hydrogen, sustainable
production and consumption of gas and liquefied
natural gas, and gas in transport.
At the end of the session, the Group recommended
that reducing pollution levels and improving air
quality will be tied to factors such as:
3Improved access to natural gas supply
3Improved monitoring and remediation of
methane losses
3Upgrade of bus fleets with natural gas-powered
buses
3Cleaning marine transport by developing LNG
bunkering in city harbours
The GECF is a regular contributor to the discussions
of the UNECE Group of Experts on Gas. Most
recently, it also took part in the 1st Steering
Committee of a UNECE project “Improving
capacities of UNECE member States to decarbonise
the transport sector by increasing the use of natural
gas as a motor fuel”.
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