France's Engie is focusing on the potential of gas “to complement renewable energies” while at the same time it is developing “solutions that will make gas an increasingly renewable energy” the company said in a statement in December.
Citing the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook report published in November 2016, which forecast that in 25 years’ time, demand for coal in many countries should have dropped considerably in favour of natural gas and renewable energies, Engie said that coherently with those expectations it is looking at the potential of biomethane, among other things.
Bomethane “is the principal source of green gas”, it said, adding that power-to-gas “offers promising prospects for storing energy in the form of gas.”
“A new global energy mix is taking shape” the company said, where “natural gas will supplement a range of means of production of renewable energy, which will be deployed very widely.”
In line with that, Engie has currently a worldwide portfolio consisting of 18% renewable energies, and is concentrating its investments on developing low-carbon energy, it said.
Moreover in October 2015 it decided not to construct any more coal-fired power stations, it added.
Gas consumption to rise in France on higher electricity generation
Citing a study by the French Gas Association, Engie said total gas consumption in France is set to rise to 560 Twh in 2030, from 461 TWh in 2015, driven by “greater use of centralized electricity production, to offset a lower proportion of nuclear energy, and to the development of renewable energies.”
“The second growth driver for the gas sector in the development of natural gas-powered mobility” it pointed out, adding that demand for natural gas for land and sea transport should also grow, driving a gradual rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG).”