The Future Of Gas Networks

This book investigates the role of gas networks in future low-carbon energy systems, and discusses various decarbonisation pathways, providing insights for gas network operators, developers, and policy makers. As more countries around the world move towards low-carbon energy systems and increase their exploitation of renewable energy sources, the use of natural gas and the associated infrastructure is expected to undergo a substantial transformation. As such there is a great uncertainty regarding the future role of gas networks and how they will be operated in coming years. The topics addressed include: Fundamentals of gas network operation The impact of variable renewable electricity generation on the operation and expansion of gas networks The impact of decarbonising heat supplies on gas networks Opportunities and challenges of utilising gas networks to transport alternative low-carbon gases such as bio-methane and hydrogen

This book offers the first set of quantitative analyses of the results of deregulation of the gas wellhead process coupled with partial deregulation of pipeline transportation and product storage. This complex process ? which involves taking pipelines out of the field markets as product purchasers, and creating spot gas and pipeline space markets ? has changed the nature and extent of services for gas at the burner tip, and the level as well as volatility of prices for these services. Using econometric tools of analysis, the authors concentrating on these changes uncover surprising findings in contrast to what regulatory reform was supposed to accomplish.

The Russian gas industry provides 50% of Russian domestic energy supplies, a substantial proportion of CIS gas supplies, and around 20% of European gas demand. Declines in production at existing fields mean that Gazprom will face increasingly difficult decisions about moving to higher cost fields on the Yamal Peninsula. The alternative will be increasing imports from Central Asian countries and allowing other Russian gas producers to increase their role in the industry. Russian exports to Europe will gradually increase and deliveries of Russian LNG will commence to Asia and the both coasts of North America. Pipeline gas deliveries to East Asian countries may have a longer time horizon. Export projects aimed at new markets will depend crucially on the maintenance of (oil and) gas prices at the levels of 2003-05. European exports will also depend on the pace of EU market liberalisation and Gazprom's ability to agree mutually acceptable terms for transit, principally with Ukraine and Belarus. Reform, liberalisation and restructuring of the Russian gas industry have been more substantial than has generally been recognised. Most important has been price reform which, in 2005, allowed Russian industrial customers to become profitable to serve at regulated prices. Price increases may significantly reduce future increases in domestic gas demand. The increasing need for production from companies other than Gazprom will ensure that liberalised access to networks expands considerably over the next decade. In the 2000s, Gazprom reclaimed its CIS gas business from intermediaries, while maintaining its de facto monopoly of exports to Europe and establishing a similar degree of authority over future exports to Asia. The merger of Gazprom and Rosneft will provide the potential to become a force in the domestic and international oil markets, particularly given the authority that the president has conferred on the company in terms of Russian energy policy.

In June 2005, the National Grid plc sold four of the eight regional gas distribution networks in Britain for £5.8 billion (those covering Scotland, Wales and the north, south and west of England). The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), the industry regulator, controls the licenses for operation of these networks; and in making its recommendation on their sale, Ofgem's primary statutory responsibility was to protect the interest of consumers. This NAO report finds that Ofgem successfully fulfilled its duty in relation to the sales, and in seeking to maintain a stable regulatory framework and manage future risks. The sales should help encourage price competition and more efficient working practices, and help deliver potential savings to customers. However, the projected benefits to consumers are subject to uncertainty, given that they are forecast over a long time frame. The report makes a number of recommendations designed to highlight lessons learned in relation to: calculating customer benefits; the internal management of projects involving sales and mergers; and protecting the consumer interest in the future.

This book assesses the impact of energy transitions on the future of natural gas in the EU energy mix. As we approach 2050, the requirement to sharply decrease CO2 and other GHG emissions means that the role of gas infrastructure in the EU and beyond will change drastically. But what does such change mean? To address this question the author critically analyses the EU’s evolving natural gas market policy and law. Clearly structured throughout, the book explores the following questions: How can we maximise the potential of gas infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions? What are the lessons learned from decision making experience in the natural gas sector? Is the EU moving towards or away from a climate neutral gas sector? How will green and low carbon gas technologies be supported? And, are proposals to drive a growing share of hydrogen, biomethane, and synthetic methane to the system just an excuse to prolong fossil fuel operations? The book explores whether the EU will continue to subsidy natural gas projects or decarbonise the gas grid before 2050, and at what cost. Recommendations are proposed for a new regulatory and policy framework for development and operation of hydrogen pipelines, injection of biomethane into the existing gas grid and for pipelines carrying CO2. Filling an important gap in the literature, this book aims to develop an understanding of and clarify the complex range of legislation involved within a single analytical framework. Although the focus is mainly on the future of gas in the EU, the findings and recommendations are relevant for a much wider geography. This book will be an invaluable reference to policy makers and practitioners as well as researchers and students across the social sciences interested in the future of energy.

"This book deals with a simple sounding question whether a certain amount of gas can be transported by a given pipeline network. While well studied for a single pipeline, this question gets extremely difficult if we consider a meshed nation wide gas transportation network, taking into account all the technical details and discrete decisions, as well as regulations, contracts, and varying demand. This book describes several mathematical models to answer these questions, discusses their merits and disadvantages, explains the necessary technical and regulatory background, and shows how to solve this question using sophisticated mathematical optimization algorithms."--

This book presents theoretical, technical, and practical information on the modernization of future energy networks. All the basic requirements covering concepts, modeling, optimizing, and analyzing of future energy grids with various energy carriers such as electricity, gas, heat, and water, as well as their markets and contracts, are explained in detail. The main focus of the book is on modernizing both the energy consumers and the energy producers and analyzing various aspects of grid modernization such as reliability, resiliency, stability, and security. Coverage includes advanced communication protocols and solution methods for the Internet of Energy (IoE) infrastructure and energy trading in future energy grids with high/full share of renewable energy resources (RERs) within the transactive energy (TE) paradigm. Probabilistic modeling and optimizing of modern grids will be evaluated using realistic case studies considering the economic aspects of multi-carrier energy markets. This book will be welcomed as an important resource by researchers and postgraduate students studying energy systems, as well as practicing engineers working on modernizing energy grids and the design, planning, scheduling, and operation of smart power systems. Proposes practical solutions for solving the challenges of modern multi-carrier energy grids; Examines various types of energy storage systems and distributed energy resources (DERs) with an emphasis on renewable energy resources (RERs); Provides comprehensive mathematical models for optimizing of future modern multi-carrier energy grids.