Adding gas from biomass to the gas grid - SGC

The directive thus also provides possibilities for new suppliers to enter new markets. The problemwith interoperability of the gas networks within the EU countries has caused the Commission tostudy the subject and a final report [lit.35] was ready in 1999. The conclusions from this reportconcerning the need for an updated legal framework is cited below:"The legal framework concerning natural gas transportation, storage and trade is very differentwithin the EU member states. The range covers strict regulations, monopoly rights for state-ownedcompanies up to completely deregulated markets. In some countries, regulation of the gas supply iscompletely delegated to the gas industry.To enable interoperability of the networks and to allow third party access, it is essential that somecountries substantially change their legal framework. While these changes in some countriesalready have started, others have been granted a deferment due to their classification as emergingmarkets."The general conclusion concerning the development of the legal framework for gas trade within theEU is that the directive 98/30/EG will make it easier for small gas producers and gas distributioncompanies to gain access to the natural gas grid. The lack of definition of natural gas in the directive(or very wide definition in national legislation) may make it possible for gas from anaerobic digestionto be transported on the natural gas grid in the future. The pipeline companies or distributioncompanies can refuse access to the grid only if technical and administrative problems cannot beovercome in a reasonable way. Gases containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen and less then70% methane will probably have more difficulties in gaining access to the grid, being ‘non methane’gases. For gases containing lower fractions of carbone monoxide and hydrogen it may be moreeasy to find access to the grid.6.2.2 Gas quality to end-userThe gas qualities that are delivered to end-users in Europe vary between different countries andsometimes even within individual countries. The quality specifications are normally not incorporatedin the legislation but are defined in national and international standards and regulations. The mostused standards and regulations in Europe are based on the European standard EN 437 and theDVGW 260.All fuel gases that are distributed in Europe are categorised in three ‘families’. The first comprisesfuel gases with high hydrogen content, e.g. town gases. The second family comprises methanegases with, for example, natural gas and biogas. The third family comprises liquid gases, e.g.propane/butane mixtures. The second gas family is divided into two groups L and H according toWobbe index.The standards EN 437 [lit.29] and DVGW 260 [lit.22] are compared to the national regulations for Lpage: 62