The European Gas Advocacy Forum (EGAF), a group of eight major gas companies – welcomes the EU Energy Roadmap 2050 published.

The Roadmap recognises that natural gas is an essential complement to renewable energy in the transformation of the global energy system, a view with which EGAF agrees.

Dick Benschop, EGAF spokesman and Vice President, Gas Market Development at Shell, said: "EGAF agrees with the European Commission that natural gas must play a crucial role in meeting Europe's carbon reduction goals and security of supply needs, in an affordable way.

"There is growing global agreement that natural gas is an essential complement to renewable energy sources, which are important but cannot alone meet our ever-growing demand for energy. Europe has a fantastic opportunity to lead the way on natural gas, as 80% of proven worldwide gas reserves are within its reach. EGAF believes that the EU Roadmap should pave the way for a future energy system with an increased contribution for natural gas."

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The Roadmap confirms that electricity will play a much greater role in the future. But in order to limit energy cost increase to end users, gas-fired power plants are an ideal existing solution.

When underpinned with adequate and sustainable market mechanisms, gas fired power plants benefit from an established infrastructure network and are cost competitive, flexible, and significantly less carbon intensive.

Gas is also a natural complement to intermittent renewable energy. Increasing its use, while reducing CO2 emissions, allows more time to develop new renewable energy sources and alternative technologies in a more cost-effective way, while staying within the EU's emission reduction target.

(CD)