EGCOn the occasion of the World Gas Conference in Paris seven leading European research and development organizations have today established an innovative network to guide gas into the transition process towards a future renewable based energy system. With the signing of a cooperation agreement the new R&D network named European Research Institute for Gas and Energy Innovation (ERIG) will be promoting joint innovation and development work with the participation of research institutes and universities directly affiliated with ERIG members and other cooperation partners.
The cooperation agreement aims to develop the role of gas by improving the efficiency of gas related energy conversion processes in the domestic, commercial and industrial area, in particular in the field of gas appliances and other utilization technologies. Furthermore it wants to enhance safety, reliability and economic sustainability of the European gas infrastructure system and gas storages, including LNG as a transport fuel for long distance transport, on land and on sea. Besides enhancing the share of renewable and synthetic gases, such as biogas, bioSNG, hydrogen or methane, in the gas system it is one major goal to support the integration of volatile renewable power in the energy system by flexible gas options (Power-to-Gas) to balance the power grid through the combination of demand and supply flexibility and storage.
ERIG will be supporting a strategic research agenda of the European Union concerning energy and gas. This covers the joint promotion of calls within the framework of Horizon 2020 as well as the development of positions and suggestions to the political sphere.
The cooperation agreement has been signed by the French Gas Association (AFG), Danish Gas Technology Centre, German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW), Energy Delta Gas Research (EDGaR, Netherlands), Energiforsk – Swedish Energy Research Centre, Swiss Gas and Water Industry Association (SVGW) and the Swiss Association of Gas Industry (VSG).
