Rune Bjørnson, Senior Vice President, Natural gas, Statoil, Andreas Mihm, Editor Frankfürter Allgemeine Zeitung and Professor Dr. Marc O. Betzügge, director of the institute of Energy Economics, University of Cologne (Photo: Statoil)

Natural gas has a key role to play in filling the void left by the phase out of nuclear, if Germany is to meet its energy and climate emissions targets.

"More use of natural gas will strengthen Germany’s competitiveness, enhance energy security and reduce carbon emissions,” said Rune Bjørnson, senior vice president for natural gas in Statoil during a debate held in Berlin today. Politicians, experts and key industry players gathered to discuss the role of natural gas in a future low carbon energy economy.   

Germany is in the midst of a transition, the Energiewende, to a safer and sustainable energy system. “Natural gas is an energy source fit to deliver cost-efficient CO2-reductions and secure and competitive energy supplies,” said Bjørnson.

“There is an increasing recognition that natural gas needs to be a part of the solution. Now it is important that the German government gives a strong signal that gas will continue to be a vital part of the energy mix,” underlined Bjørnson in his intervention. 

“We hope that Germany will give clear and unambiguous indications that natural gas will be part of the energy future. This is required to unlock investments, both in new gas production, in transport and in new power generation capacities,” he said. 

Statoil has gas volumes for sale and is now evaluating how to best market this gas. The company’s long-term contracts will continue to make up an important pillar in Statoil’s total gas portfolio. However, the German power market is very interesting and Statoil is in concrete dialogue to sell gas to German power generators and other industrial gas buyers.  

“We would like to see more gas-fired power plants being constructed in Germany – at the expense of not only nuclear but also of coal-fired power plants,” said Bjørnson.  

Gas-fired power plant, emitting up to two thirds less CO2 than coal plants, have short construction time, apply modern but well-known technologies, and have relatively low investment costs making them attractive options for base-load operations. Further, gas-fired power plants are an optimal for back-up for intermittent renewables. They are flexible in use and thus essential to balance power systems increasingly dependent on wind and solar power. 

For more information see www.statoil.com