Emission reduction

In our emissions reporting we split our carbon emissions into three groups (called ‘Scopes’). The footprint is expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e).

Presently, our emission data is collected at fixed moments in the year to determine the amount and source of these. Having a good system and methods for recording emissions is important, and that importance is only growing. Accordingly, in 2022 Gasunie worked on an IT tool for emission registration and reporting that will enable us to achieve a higher degree of transparency, traceability and availability of our emission data from 2023 onwards.

CO₂ emissions according to the GHG Protocol (in metric tonnes of CO₂e)

What we are doing to reduce emissions

The transmission of natural gas requires energy, energy we use to keep the gas grid at pressure, to blend natural gas with nitrogen, and to compensate for frictional losses during transmission. Gasunie uses natural gas and electricity for this. Burning this natural gas and generating this electricity produces CO₂ and NO_x emissions. Furthermore, methane (CH₄) is emitted to the air during management and maintenance work on our infrastructure. This happens:

when starting and stopping compressors
when operating equipment using natural gas pressure (pneumatic components)
through slow leaks (at couplings, etc.)
during work on the transmission network.

Our methane emissions over the past five years were as follows:

Methane emissions	Netherlands	Germany
2022	3,331	1,491
2021	4,071	1,085
2020	4,000	1,510
2019	4,176	405
2018	4,712	470

NB: For Germany, the reporting model of the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) we started using in 2020 has provided more accurate information, which is why the methane emission figures for Germany are higher starting from 2020. The increase in Germany in 2022 compared to 2021 can be attributed to the increase in the number of compressor operating hours; due to incomplete combustion, for example, this results in higher ‘running time emissions’.

Adjustment in calculation of GWP of methane emissions

Natural gas consists primarily of methane. Just like carbon dioxide, methane is a greenhouse gas. We calculate the contribution to the greenhouse gas effect in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e). We apply a conversion factor recognised throughout the Netherlands that shows the relative contribution to climate change caused by one kilogramme of methane compared to one kilogramme of CO₂. This factor is known as the Global Warming Potential value (GWP value).

In its reporting for 2022, based on the information published by the Dutch National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection (‘RIVM’) on its emissions reporting site Broeikasgassen | Emissieregistratie (in Dutch), Gasunie increased its GWP value for methane (i.e. factor for conversion to CO₂e) from 25 to 28. This GWP value is taken from the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report ‘Climate Change 2014’. For the years 2020 to 2022, we have adjusted the CO₂e calculation using the GWP of 28 for methane.

Our measures to reduce methane emissions

Reducing our carbon footprint is hugely important to us. We are reducing our methane emissions by making use of:

Emission-free regulating equipment
Leak Detection and Repair programme
Nitrogen displacement
Mobile recompression
Mobile flaring

Emission-free regulating equipment – Gas-emitting regulators are no longer used in newly built or refurbished installations. By the end of 2029 we will have replaced all regulating equipment with emissions with zero-emission variants.
Leak detection and repair With our leak detection and repair (LDAR) programme, we detect leaks in connections and appendages (valves, flanges, etc.) at compressor stations, gas receiving stations, metering and regulating stations and high-pressure valve locations. For this we apply the NEN-EN 15446 standard, which is based on the measuring methodology developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Nitrogen displacement – One way to avoid having to vent natural gas from a pipeline is to use nitrogen to displace the gas and by this means transfer it to a different section of the pipeline. Where possible, this technique is applied.
Recompression – We use a mobile recompression unit to recompress as much of the gas as possible that would otherwise have had to be vented. This gas is then transferred to another pipeline. In 2022, recompression returned around 0.9 million m³ of gas to the network (2021:1.7 million m³).
Flaring – If recompression is not an option, flaring offers a way to reduce the environmental impact of the methane in the natural gas by burning it off. In 2022, 340,522 m³ of gas was flared (2021: 636,973 m³). Flaring instead of venting yielded environmental savings of 5 kilotonnes CO₂e in 2022 (2021: 8.2 kilotonnes CO₂e).

International joint efforts to reduce methane emissions

Gasunie is an active participant in the study groups of the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP). Energy companies participating in the OGMP make voluntary agreements on methane emission recording, calculating and reporting. Gasunie Netherlands and Gasunie Germany have committed to reporting the methane emissions for their operational assets for the reporting year 2023 in accordance with the ‘Gold Standard’, the highest OGMP reporting standard.

Gasunie anticipates that the European Commission will adopt a regulation aimed at reducing methane emissions at the end of 2023. This regulation includes restricting the use of venting and flaring to strictly necessary situations and tightening up the LDAR (leak detection and repair) programme. It is expected that the changes in the LDAR programme will result in a higher inspection frequency and require short repair times.

Methane emissions in perspective

Reducing methane emissions has long been a strategic priority for Gasunie. Compared to 1990, the company has reduced its methane emissions by almost 50% (from 272 kilotonnes CO2e in 1990 to 138 kilotonnes CO2e in 2020). Looking at recent performance we see a 21% reduction in the period 2016-2020. Our target of emitting less than 70 kilotonnes of CO₂e by 2030 compared to 2020 levels is more ambitious than that of the Global Methane Pledge (launched by the United States, European Union and partners), which aims to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels.

We expect to reduce our methane emissions further in the coming years, and in 2022 we already saw them go down on the whole. This decrease for the Netherlands relates, among other things, to reduced emissions as a result of starting and stopping turbines and a reduction in operating hours for the compressors.

Modifications made in October 2021 to the control system of a number of Gasunie gas turbines reduced the level of unburned methane emissions from these turbines. We also vented less as a result of a decline in project work in 2022 compared to 2021.

In 2021, we started converting gas-actuated control valves to zero-emission valves. The control valves have also been temporarily taken out of operation at a number of stations that are rarely used. During the term of the projects, a total of 760 tonnes of methane emissions will be avoided in the period 2021-2026. For 2022, this comes out at an emission reduction of 44.7 tonnes of methane.

Our measures regarding other CO2 emissions

Decarbonising our electricity consumption: In 2022, we purchased Guarantees of Origin (GOs) from European wind farms for our Dutch activities. In Germany, 100% of our electricity needs are covered by electricity from European hydroelectric power stations.
Temporary decommissioning of compressor stations: As production from the Groningen gas field is phased out, we are decommissioning a number of our compressor stations on a temporary basis so that these can be used later for the energy transition.
Green procurement of nitrogen at third parties: In 2021, GTS struck a deal with our largest nitrogen producer under which GTS will only procure green nitrogen from them. This nitrogen producer has agreed to decarbonise their emissions by procuring GOs. In 2022, this portion concerned around 81% of the total amount of electricity that was required for the production of all nitrogen procured.
Transport & mobility: In 2022, we continued with our policy set in 2021 to replace our fossil fuel company cars with fully electric vehicles.

Our carbon footprint reduction ambitions

In 2021 we set a corporate-wide target for both our CO₂ and methane emissions. Our target for 2030 uses 2020 as the base year, given that 2020 is a sufficiently recent year with reliable, up-to-date data. This group-wide target enables third parties to better compare our total results with the total results of other network operators.

2030 target: Our methane emissions must be below 70 kilotonnes CO₂e by 2030. In line with the increase in the methane conversion factor (GWP; see the box ‘Adjustment in calculation of GWP of methane emissions’), in 2022 we also recalculated the CO₂ equivalent figures for methane for the years 2020 and 2021. If we are to stick to the target figure for 2030, at a GWP of 28 we will have to reduce more methane in the coming years than would have been the case with a GWP of 25.

Results to date: The reported value for 2022 is 135 kilotonnes of CO₂e (at a GWP of 28). This is a decrease, and it leaves us with the challenge of achieving another 65 kilotonnes of CO₂e. At this time, we believe we are well on track to meeting the company’s 2030 methane emissions target, despite the increase in the GWP for methane in 2022 (from 25 to 28).

Our methane emissions in 2022: on track to meet our reduction target in 2030

2030 target: we want to reduce our total CO₂e emissions (i.e. including methane emissions) relating to our natural gas transmission (Scope 1 and 2, market-based) by 34% by 2030 compared to 2020, assuming constant transmission volumes. Written as a formula this is: total CO₂e (in kt) = 70 (kt CO₂e) + (0.137 × transmission volume). Because the GWP of methane also affects the CO₂e target for 2030 and we want to keep the original target for 2030, this also means that we have to reduce more.

Results to date: The reported value for 2022 is 390 kilotonnes of CO₂e, a significant increase compared to 2021. This means we are not on track to meet our 2030 target. This regrettable situation is due to the additional compression demand in Germany and only partly due to transmission volumes being 2.1% higher than the baseline of 1,085 TWh. Although it is currently difficult to predict how future gas flows will develop, we remain true to our commitments and will take the necessary steps to meet these. EemsEnergyTerminal generated its own electricity in 2022 but will be connected to the electricity grid early in 2023.

Our CO₂ emissions in 2022: not on track to meet our reduction target in 2030