Gas industry
In the course of the ongoing liberalisation of the energy markets, the gas industry faces drastic changes as well and is confronted by the most diverse challenges on a national and European level. The complete opening up of the European gas market came into effect on the first of July 2007.
There is a regulated grid access instead of a negotiated grid access in Germany, for example. As a result, the composition of prices, grid access and contracts are shifting considerably. The new EnWG and the regulations regarding grid access and grid charges are supposed to open up the rather static and heterogeneous market to the bulk business.
The designated cooperation agreement of the gas grid operators is put into praxis since October 2006. But there are still insecurities amongst companies that hinder the realisation of a real competition. The introduction into the entry-exit model is accompanied by immense difficulties and did not have the expected effects. The incentive based regulation, which is scheduled for the first of January 2009, is expected to stimulate competition. The related entry into a new market model poses new challenges to all the stakeholders and will raise the competitive and cost pressure.
The future orientation of gas suppliers will be shaped by the restructuring of grid (access) organisation as a regulation- and cartel office resistant calculation of grid charges, cost-saving maintenance strategies as well as the development of innovative grid technology.
The most trying challenge for gas suppliers, now and in the future, is to find the balance between the reliability of supply and an optimal cost and revenue management. Companies face the difficulty of preparing for the expected competition on a short- and mid-term basis and developing a product and service portfolio meeting customer’s desires. The rate of supplier changes of customers is still relatively low, but in analogy to the developments in the power market, branch specialists expect a considerable increase of gas supplier changes on a mid-term basis, especially considering business customers.
The market for biogas is shaped by changes as well. The amended EnWG in addition to the commitment of the industries assists the feeding of biogas into the public natural gas grid by generally giving biogas the priority for free grid capacities. At the same time, supply problems of biogas sites may occur due to the construction boom and the correlated increase of demand for biogas.
Producers of biogas, conventional gas suppliers and other stakeholders have to address the question of future orientation, in order to act successfully in an environment of increasing competition. To meet this demand, the trend and market research institute trend:research offers a series of comprehensive studies about different aspects of the gas market featuring analysis and courses of action.
