INNOVATIVE PROJECTS PLATFORM

To efficiently build on its Members efforts to promote or contribute to innovative technologies, regulation and business models, and partnerships across the value chain, ENTSOG have initiated the identification process to map TSOs’ partnerships on Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) activities for the energy transition.

The result is the creation of a public platform, the Innovative Projects Platform, for communication and exchange of best practices applied at national level. 

These innovative solutions focus on hydrogen, CCS, biogas, power to gas and other innovative applications to support the achievement of the current EU goals of reducing GHG emissions and reaching the decarbonisation goal of net-zero by 2050.
 

*Disclaimer: The content published on this page is information owned by TSOs and not by ENTSOG. It is therefore published on behalf of TSOs. Please note terms and conditions of use of the website (including article 7) are fully applicable to this page.
TECHNOLOGY

Technology

Discover here how technologies can optimise the usage of the grid, make digital layer connections and support decarbonisation of the EU gas system. Technology R&D has a vital role in the energy transition. ENTSOG Members (TSOs) are developing new and innovative technologies to offer sustainable solutions for the gas sector.

REGULATION & BUSINESS MODEL

Regulation & business model

Stay informed on how ENTSOG Members (TSOs) engage in development of the new energy products and services to foster uptake of renewable and decarbonised gases into the grid.

PARTNERSHIP

Partnership

Look at new partnerships and initiatives formed by ENTSOG’s Members (TSOs). They are actively working together as well as with various stakeholders on projects aimed at decarbonisation of the gas sector and of the whole EU economy.

H2

Hydrogen

Hydrogen can be produced from diverse process technologies. Hydrogen can be produced via steam methane reforming and blended with natural gas to be transported via existing grid infrastructure and contribute towards decarbonisation.

TRANSITION

Innovation & Transition

Technological innovation is important for the transition to low carbon economy and combating climate change. New technologies such as power-to gas, biomethane, hydrogen, CNG will enable this transition.

BIOGAS

Biogas

Biogas is obtained via the anaerobic decomposition of the organic matter. After the process of upgrading, biogas becomes biomethane with the same quality standard as natural gas and can be transported via the existing grid infrastructure.

CCS

CCS

Carbon Capture and storage is the process of capturing waste CO2 from large point sources, such as fossil fuel power plants, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere. The aim is to prevent the release of large quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Power to gas

Power to gas

Power-to-gas is the conversion of electrical power into a gaseous energy carrier like e.g. hydrogen or methane. This technological concept is considered to be an important tool in the energy transition.

NEUTRAL TAG

CNG

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a fuel source that is made from compressing natural gas to less than 1% of its standard atmospheric volume. CNG combustion produces fewer undesirable gases than other fossil fuels.

Digitalisation

Digitalisation

Digitalisation can bring various benefits to day-to-day operations such as enhanced control over the gas quality and cost reductions. TSOs look at data-driven solutions to boost performance, efficiency and competitiveness.

Heating and cooling

Heating & Cooling

Cutting the energy consumption in heating and cooling in buildings and industry can be achieved through various technologies. TSOs are working on developing cost-efficient solutions for the decarbonisation of this sector.

Certification

Certification of green gases

To ensure the cross-border scale up and tradability of renewable, decarbonised and low-carbon gases. This can be achieved via pan European Guarantees of Origin and Certification Schemes.

Enagás S.A.

SUN2HY (Sun to Hydrogen)

This project focuses on the development of a disruptive photoelectrochemical cell that will be used as a reactor for the direct transformation of solar into chemical energy. Innovative materials and new structures are used achieving a remarkable efficiency. This promising technological route allows the competitive industrial production of clean and storable fuels directly from sunlight and water. The project started in September of 2018 and will last for 2 years. The main partners leading the project are Repsol and Enagas.
 

Contact: msanchezd@enagas.es

National Grid Gas

Hydrogen in the NTS

National Grid are partnering with the Health & Safety Executive to undertake a technical evaluation of the capability of the UK’s National Transmission System (NTS) to transport hydrogen. This project will run up to Spring 2019 and will generate a deeper understanding of how introducing hydrogen will affect gas transmission assets physically; and of the standards required to facilitate hydrogen introduction. The project will also use the findings to evaluate potential UK sites which could demonstrate hydrogen introduction at scale, further advancing the UK’s green energy ambitions.

Contact: Lloyd.Mitchell@nationalgrid.com

Snam Rete Gas S.p.A.

IES Biogas

The acquisition of IES Biogas, one of the leading Italian companies in the design, construction and management of biogas and biomethane production plants, will enable Snam to develop biomethane plants, leveraging IES Biogas’ managerial expertise, and to promote the use of biomethane in the transport sector. The acquisition of IES Biogas has been performed by Snam4Mobility, the company through which Snam has been developing infrastructure for refuelling compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines. The growing interest of the market for sustainable mobility powered by methane and biomethane shows that there is great potential for alternative uses of gas.

Contact: salvatore.ricco@snam.it

TERÉGA

Energy efficiency R&D

Energy efficiency is extremely important for Teréga, which obtained its ISO 50001 certification in 2014. There are many R&I projects under this theme, focusing on: the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (collection and reinjection of emissions into adjacent pipes for transportation and storage). Once implemented, the solutions studied should allow an 80 to 85% reduction of annual emissions compared to 2015, due to venting.

Contact: cecile.boesinger@terega.fr

Fluxys Belgium S.A.

HYOFFWIND

Colruyt Group (Eoly), Parkwind and Fluxys join forces in power-to-gas. With the green energy project Hyoffwind, the partners want to build a power-to-gas installation to convert renewable electricity into green hydrogen through electrolysis. Hyoffwind has been set up as an industrial-scale installation (electrolysis of 25 MW of electricity), in line with the industrial projects that are being developed in neighbouring countries. 

Contact: jan.vandenbulcke@fluxys.com

Gas Networks Ireland

Gas Innovation Fund

The Gas Innovation Fund is intended to promote and encourage an environment of innovation in the gas industry. GNI wishes to engage with key stakeholders in order to share knowledge and leverage the best use of all resources for innovation.

Contact: AnnMarie.Colbert@gasnetworks.ie

Energinet

M/R-Helle

M/R Helle is a demonstration project to test and evaluate the consequences of hydrogen/natural gas mixtures in the gas infrastructure. Mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas will be circulated for two years. The purpose of the project is to find the constraints and to prepare for a possible future handling hydrogen/natural gas in the gas grid.

Contact: til@energinet.dk

GRTGaz

Innovation in renewable gases

Interview with Thierry Trouvé to present the strengths and the place of renewable gas in the energy transition as well as the campaign 'Energy Possibles'. 

Contact: jeanmarc.brimont@grtgaz.com 

Swedegas AB

The Gas Barometer

The Gas Barometer is designed to measure the volume of biogas that is being transported and used in the gas distribution network. This pioneering initiative will allow Swedegas, in partnership with the companies that trade in gas in the network in western Sweden, to produce quarterly figures showing how much biogas is being transported and used in the network. The Gas Barometer will monitor growth in the use of biogas in the network. It can provide an illustration of the impact that control strategies and trading patterns in Sweden and in other countries are having on the market.

Contact: hanna.paradis@swedegas.se

National Grid Gas

Asset Information Modelling (AIM)

Producing intelligent models of gas transmission assets is set to become quicker, cheaper and more accurate, thanks to an extension of our Building Information Modelling (BIM) project, called AIM. An AIM, or Asset Information Model, provides all the information necessary to support the management of an asset. For example, it logs its precise location, operational data, information about work carried out and its existing condition.

Contact: Neil.Tansley@nationalgrid.com