Existing gas storage capacity in Europe exceeded one petawatthour in 2018, shrinked against 2016

December 19, 2018

• Gas storage capacity in EU28 represents 21% of annual gas consumption
• Gas storage can accelerate development of renewable energy sources
• Existing capacity dropped 4% over the last 2 years

Gas storage capacity stands at 1131 TWh and gas storage facilities across EU28 can deliver up to 22 TWh of natural gas per day. The storage capacity represents 21% of annual gas consumption ¹ in Europe.

The data is revealed by the latest edition of Storage Map 2018 published today and contains information on 156 storage sites run by 69 storage operators in EU28.

Mr. Jean-Marc Leroy, President of Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) said: “I welcome the availability of gas storage capacities because I believe that gas storage will enhance the uptake of renewables into an integrated energy system, thereby providing the decarbonised gas market a sustainable future.”

Looking into the future, the role of gas storage will be extended from structuring natural gas supply and providing a back-up service for electricity generation today to becoming a driving force of a renewable energy system of tomorrow thanks to its capabilities to balance the energy system at a large scale and at different time frames.

The presence of gas storage will accommodate the storage of renewable and decarbonised gases which will result in a stronger supply and increased ability to store intermittent and variable renewable electricity sources. This will provide a higher level of clean energy without extensive network investments for the benefit of society.

The published data also shows that the existing storage capacity dropped 4% over the last 2 years, driven by decommissioning and a decrease in projects under construction or development. This trend results from the existing economic environment for the gas storage market in Europe.

The map and corresponding database are available for download at the GIE website.

Printed version can be ordered from GIE here .

¹ https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/
quarterly_report_on_european_gas_markets_q4_2017_final_20180323.pdf

Note to editors

Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) is an association representing the interests of gas infrastructure operators active in gas transmission, storage and LNG regasification. GIE is a trusted partner of European institutions, regulatory bodies and industry stakeholders. It is based in Brussels, the heart of European policymaking.

GIE currently represents 70 member companies from 25 countries. Its internal structure has three columns corresponding to the three types of infrastructure activities represented: GTE (Gas Transmission Europe), GSE (Gas Storage Europe) and GLE (Gas LNG Europe), all of which fall under the umbrella of GIE. This structure allows member companies to speak with one voice on infrastructure topics as well as to build positions on column-specific issues. To find out more about GIE’s structure and activities, please visit the website at www.gie.eu .