Methane emissions

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Methane is widely regarded as one of the main greenhouse gases and its emissions are considered to be the second most important contributor to climate change. In the context of the Green Deal and as a part of the clean energy transition, the European Union has launched a dedicated effort for reducing methane emissions in the energy sector.

The effort takes into consideration the global nature of the industry and that about 80% of natural gas consumed in the European Union is imported. Approaches dealing with methane emissions in the natural gas industry have to account for the entire gas supply chain link, as well as for technology-specific features.

​ACER is looking at the issue of methane emissions primarily from the viewpoint of sustainability, as a sine qua non for any undertaking in gas infrastructure. Sustainability is one of the criteria that must be met by all projects included in the TYNDPs and in the PCI lists. To achieve the 2050 climate goals of the European Union, a balance must be found between:

• The scale of the problem and the tools to address it,

• The costs and benefits of any possible regulatory measures,

• Best industry practices, technical norms and regulation.​