While France is considering a continued decline in gas consumption, players in the gas sector are pleading for the conservation of their infrastructure. They highlight the potential of carbon-free gases and the need to adapt existing networks to these new energy sources.
Faced with declining gas consumption, gas sector companies are mobilizing to demonstrate the importance of their existing infrastructure. Their argument is based on the potential of renewable gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen, which could use these same networks. This approach would not only reduce the costs of building new infrastructure, but also accelerate the shift to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources.
The challenges of hydrogen
The debate around hydrogen is gaining momentum in the context of the energy transition. Hydrogen, while promising as a clean alternative, poses technical challenges. The hydrogen molecule being finer, it requires major adaptations of existing infrastructures to prevent leaks and ensure safety.
Tests carried out by GRDF have shown the possibility of injecting up to 20% hydrogen into the current network, but beyond that, the costs and technical constraints could prove prohibitive. Manufacturers are worried: without a suitable renovation, costs could explode, making the project less economically viable. “ The scale of adaptation of the gas network or that of adaptation of the electricity network by 2050 are not the same. In the first case, we are talking about tens of billions of euros, in the second case, hundreds », indicated the gas sector in comments shared by Les Echos.
Biomethane, a smoother transition
Unlike hydrogen, biomethane offers a smoother transition to green gases. It uses the same molecule as natural gas, which minimizes the need for new infrastructure. The necessary work focuses on creating loops to connect the methane digesters to existing networks, mainly in rural areas.
This represents an opportunity to recover agricultural waste while reducing carbon emissions. According to the Energy Regulatory Commission, the necessary investments would amount to between 200 and 300 million euros per year until 2050an amount that could be absorbed by the sector with tangible returns on investment in terms of carbon-free gas production.
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