Our future energy system Managing the transition

Position paper from January 2022 by Wintershall Dea on the energy system of the future.

Share
Wintershall Dea hot air balloon
Wintershall Dea hot air balloon
Credit
Wintershall Dea

We must accelerate the transformation on the way to the energy system of the future. The course for the energy transition must therefore be set now. The next years will be decisive for advancing the transformation of the gas industry towards net zero. At the Handelsblatt Energy Summit, Wintershall Dea CEO Mario Mehren presented five theses for 2022.

#1: We need to speed up the transformation.

To achieve our climate targets quickly, we must make significant progress in 2022 in our efforts to expand new technologies. We are convinced that being open to all types of technology will also help the environment.

#2: Hydrogen and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) will be key pillars for reducing emissions.

Wintershall Dea has already taken some initial steps in this direction. For example, together with the energy company VNG, we are developing a new method of producing hydrogen based on natural gas. Beginning in late 2022, we aim to start safely storing CO2 in the Danish North Sea as a partner of Project Greensand, which is being supported by the Danish government with €26 million in funding. CCS makes it possible to reduce the emissions that cannot be avoided, such as those generated by industry. We should also put to use in Germany the valuable experience with CCS technology from Scandinavia and the Netherlands.

#3: We have the courage and the know-how needed for the transition.

At Wintershall Dea, we will make our production carbon-neutral by 2030 by pursuing ambitious climate targets. This underlines our claim to be part of the solution.

#4: Natural gas is the partner of renewables and represents security of supply.

Expanding renewable energies and safeguarding the energy supply with the help of gas will go hand in hand. This is stipulated in the coalition agreement of Germany’s new government. We view it as our job to make gas and the gas industry future-proof. Modern gas-fired power plants that are also hydrogen-compatible will ensure the power supply, and gas-fired heating systems will also run on hydrogen. Side by side with renewables, we are stronger.

 #5: The energy transition can only succeed if pursued on a global level.

Most importantly, Germany’s new federal government must set the course for its energy policies, especially when it comes to hydrogen and building new gas-fired power plants. In Europe, we need to pursue joint efforts to ramp up the hydrogen market and international energy partnerships. In doing so, we will combine future-oriented technologies to protect the climate with a reliable and safe supply of energy for Europe.