Munich, 18 October 2024
Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), the European gas infrastructure association will have its annual conference in Munich on 17 and 18 October. Some 350 energy experts from business, science and politics from across Europe will be welcomed by the hosts of this year’s event — bayernets, Deutsche Energy Terminal (DET), GASCADE, GRTgaz Deutschland, Open Grid Europe (OGE), ONTRAS Gastransport, SEFE, Storengy Deutschland, Uniper Energy Storage.
European gas infrastructure operators: ‘We will empower the energy transition, inspire change and create sustainable solutions.’
The first day of the conference will focus on the transformation of gas and hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure to enable the energy transition. Speakers will reflect on how the transition can be accelerated while keeping costs down, maintaining competitiveness of European industries, and the role of gas and hydrogen infrastructure can play in this process. There will be panels on future global energy needs and on the integration of different energy carriers and infrastructures. Further topics will include the energy transition in Central East and South East Europe, the way in which hydrogen infrastructure can facilitate the scale-up of wind energy and the future of import terminals.
At the conference, the current GIE President Torben Brabo will hand over the baton to his successor Arno Büx, member of the GIE Board and Chief Commercial Officer of Fluxys (Belgium).
In his final speech as President, Torben Brabo will mention: ‘It has been a bumpy ride for our industry and for GIE recently. The energy crisis, the invasion in Ukraine, during these crucial moments we demonstrated our value to society. We proved how reliable we are to move energies. Gas infrastructure has been indispensable and will remain so in the future to enable Europe to achieve a cost-competitive transition while keeping our industries running.’
Quote Arno Büx: ‘Gas infrastructure will continue to facilitate security of supply of both molecules and electrons. Today, we’re mostly handling natural gas, and we also import, store and transport growing volumes of biomethane and hydrogen, while gearing up to bring CO2 from industrial sites to underground storages. We embrace the EU climate targets and competitiveness objectives and gas infrastructure is crucial to achieve them.’
Quote Boyana Achovski: ‘Working with GIE has been an incredible experience. I would like to highlight the importance of safeguarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The energy sector thrives when it draws on diverse perspectives, embedding equity and inclusion as core values. Significant efforts have been made yet our task is far from over. Upholding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a responsibility every leader must embrace’.
Bavaria’s Minister of State for Energy, Hubert Aiwanger, will present the ‘Bavarian perspective’ in its relation to the conference’s venue and describe the regions’ role in the energy transition: “If we wish to realise a secure and sustainable energy supply without risking the loss of our industry and economic prosperity, hydrogen will play an essential role. Some of this hydrogen will be produced in here in Europe, whilst some will be imported from elsewhere. Bavaria, at the heart of Europe, will become an important hydrogen hub. The state government of Bavaria and Bavarian infrastructure companies are focused on developing this hydrogen infrastructure”.
The second day of the conference focuses on the scale-up of hydrogen, biomethane and CCUS and how gas infrastructure can play an enabling role. Â
Ralph Bahke, member of the GIE Board, Sponsor Hydrogen Area and managing director at ONTRAS, emphasises: ‘The energy transition in Europe is making huge strides and the European hydrogen backbone is no longer just a vision. In Germany, the transmission system operators have started construction of the hydrogen core network which will span 9,600 kilometres of pipelines in the years ahead, thereby delivering a crucial component of this European infrastructure. Our network, including underground storages, forms the foundation for the hydrogen economy. This is an urgent task because without infrastructure, EU industry cannot achieve its emission reduction obligations in time and at an affordable cost.‘
In their role as the official hosts, the German transmission system operators bayernets, GASCADE, GRTgaz Deutschland, OGE and ONTRAS Gastransport along with the storage operators SEFE Storage, Storengy Deutschland and Uniper Energy Storage plus the terminal operator DET are supporting GIE in organising and hosting the conference. ‘As representatives of the German gas infrastructure companies in the heart of Europe, we acknowledge our responsibility to play a key role in shaping the path to reach climate neutrality. We want to be part of the solution. The transformation of the European energy system can succeed only if we can invest in gas infrastructure that is fit for the future.’Â
Notes for the editors
Detailed information on the GIE conference can be found at the link:
GIE Annual Conference 2024 @ Munich – Gas Infrastructure EuropeGas Infrastructure Europe
About the Sponsors:
bayernets GmbHÂ is a leading energy infrastructure company based in Munich and an important part of the Trans-European networks for energy. The company stands for a secure and sustainable energy supply in the heart of Europe. bayernets is network operator, infrastructure developer, service provider and already setting the course today for transporting hydrogen as an important building block in the energy system of the future.
 Learn more: bayernets: Home
Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET)Â is a state-owned German company responsible for operating terminals, where liquefied natural gas (LNG) is imported via ship. In times of change, when energy security is no longer a given and the world of energy must be redefined, our work creates reliability. We are thereby strengthening energy security in Germany and Europe today while paving the way for the sustainable energy supply of tomorrow.
Learn more:Â www.energy-terminal.de
GASCADE Gastransport GmbHÂ operates a gas pipeline network throughout Germany. The Kassel-based transmission system operator offers its customers modern and competitive transport services for natural gas and, in future, other gases in the heart of Europe via its own high-pressure pipeline network, which is around 3,700 kilometres long. GASCADE is pursuing the goal of successively converting its pipeline network to the transport of hydrogen and is therefore active in several onshore and offshore hydrogen projects.
Learn more:Â www.gascade.de
As a link between Eastern and Western Europe, GRTgaz Germany operates a gas pipeline system that is an important player for flexible energy supply for all of Europe. As part of the European gas infrastructure, we make a crucial contribution to the security of supply in Europe and are preparing our MEGAL pipeline system for the transport of hydrogen. We are working on realizing the transport of CO2-neutral hydrogen from the Iberian Peninsula via France to Germany. By participating in the hydrogen core network, we are actively involved in the transformation of the infrastructure and are an important player in the energy transition. We are not only committed to sustainable solutions, we also implement them in a targeted manner.
Learn more:Â GRTgaz Deutschland (grtgaz-deutschland.de)
Open Grid Europe (OGE)Â lets gaseous molecules flow. We create and maintain a modern, safe and efficient infrastructure for natural gas, hydrogen and CO2. Our pipeline network with a length of over 12,000 kilometers is fundamental to Germany’s energy supply and secures the prosperity of our society. As the market-leading transmission system operator, we are a pioneer, driver and enabler of the energy transition and climate neutrality. We see ourselves as a transformation consultant and service provider for industry, power plants, distribution system operators and our partners in production and politics. More than 2,000 people find a future-proof and modern workplace at the OGE Group. In the interests of our employees and shareholders, we are constantly adapting our business model to ensure sustainable profitable development.
Learn more:Â www.oge.net
ONTRAS Gastransport gmbHÂ operates the 7,700 kilometer gas transmission network in eastern Germany and is responsible for the reliable and efficient transport of gaseous energy – today and in the future. We are actively shaping the energy market of the future, contributing ideas and developing sustainable solutions for our infrastructure. In doing so, we rely on reliable technology, many years of experience and our most important asset: a dedicated team! Our gas infrastructure is compatible with renewable gases and therefore also supports a variety of use cases for hydrogen, such as material applications, mobility and heat. In order to make our infrastructure fit for a renewable gas supply, we are planning and implementing numerous projects together with partner companies.
Learn more:Â www.ontras.com
 SEFE, an international energy company, ensures the security of supply and drives the decarbonisation of its customers. SEFE’s activities span the energy value chain, from origination and trading to sales, transport and storage. Through its decades-long expertise in trading and the development of its LNG business, SEFE has become one of the most important suppliers to industrial customers in Europe, with an annual sales volume of 200 TWh of gas and power. Its 50,000 customers range from small businesses to municipalities and multinational organisations. By investing in clean energies and especially in the hydrogen ecosystem, SEFE is contributing to the energy transition. The company employs around 2,000 people globally and is owned by the Federal Government of Germany.
Learn more:Â www.sefe-group.com
Storengy Deutschland, a company of ENGIE Group, is one of the leading gas storage companies in Germany. With around 150 employees across Germany, we are a reliable partner for storage services: we plan, build and operate storage facilities and market their storage capacities. Our mission is to store climate-neutral energy in order to sustainably supply tomorrow’s generations. Therefore, we are developing innovative solutions for storing hydrogen and renewable gases. The company’s headquarters are in Berlin.
Within the Uniper Group, all expertise in underground gas storage across Europe is pooled in Uniper Energy Storage GmbH. Uniper Energy Storage operates natural gas storage facilities in Germany, Austria and the UK with a working gas capacity of around 80 TWh, thus making a decisive contribution to security of supply. Uniper Energy Storage further intends to develop salt caverns for the large-volume storage of hydrogen in north-west Germany. The initially envisaged storage capacity will be up to 600 GWh, which should be available to the market before the end of 2030. To this end, existing sites and potential new sites along the planned hydrogen core network are currently being analyzed in detail.Â
Learn more:https://www.uniper.energy/storage/Â ;Â https://www.uniper.energy/Â
Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) is the association representing the interests of European gas infrastructure operators. GIE members are active in transmission, storage and regasification via LNG terminals of renewable and low-carbon gases, including natural gas and hydrogen. Gathering around 68 industry entities from 25 European countries, GIE perfectly embodies the multiple transitional decarbonisation pathways of the EU regions. The association’s vision is that by 2050, the gas infrastructure will be the backbone of the new innovative energy system, allowing European citizens and industries to benefit from a secure, efficient and sustainable energy supply.
Media inquiries & interviews:
Mahtab Jalali Moghaddam, Junior Communication Officer
mahtab.jalali@gie.eu | +32 460 95 63 63 | www.gie.eu
