Gas has long been omnipresent in EU energy mix. The challenges created by Russia’s war on Ukraine, coupled with the Union’s decarbonization objectives, place gaseous fuels overall into a new perspective. On the one hand, the use of natural gas, a fossil fuel, mainly imported until recently from Russia, needs to be alleviated. On the other hand, natural gas has acquired an interim but still important status until the anticipated ‘green transition’ is finally achieved. Hydrogen for its part, which can range from relatively ‘dirty’ to ‘green’, is an energy carrier set to play a fundamental role in the process. The EU energy regulatory framework is rapidly expanding and evolving addressing the ‘trilemma’ of energy efficiency, energy security, and climate challenges, at times of financial constraints. The endgame and strategic objective is efficient full deployment of renewables. Gas cannot be presently abandoned, but rather sustainably utilized, in a cost-effective manner. Ideas put forward include repurposing existing pipelines, enhancing financial support for clean gases, rationalizing disinvestments, diversifying supply and employing Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage. If such policy options are properly applied, gaseous fuels will continue to be pivotal in the EU’s energy mix in the road to a fully sustainable future for the European peoples. The present article analyses the above aspects as well as legal and regulatory challenges that lie ahead.

中文翻译：

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欧盟清洁能源转型之路：欧盟天然气监管新途径与挑战

长期以来，天然气在欧盟能源结构中无处不在。俄罗斯对乌克兰的战争带来的挑战，加上欧盟的脱碳目标，使气体燃料整体进入了一个新的视角。一方面，需要减少天然气这种化石燃料的使用，直到最近主要从俄罗斯进口。另一方面，在最终实现预期的“绿色转型”之前，天然气已经获得了临时但仍然重要的地位。就氢而言，其范围可以从相对“肮脏”到“绿色”，是一种能源载体，将在这一过程中发挥重要作用。欧盟能源监管框架正在迅速扩大和发展，以解决在财政紧张的情况下能源效率、能源安全和气候挑战的“三难困境”。最终目标和战略目标是有效全面部署可再生能源。天然气目前不能被废弃，而是可以以具有成本效益的方式可持续利用。提出的想法包括重新利用现有管道、加强对清洁气体的财政支持、合理化撤资、供应多元化以及采用碳捕获、利用和封存。如果这些政策选择得到正确应用，气体燃料将继续在欧盟能源结构中发挥关键作用，为欧洲人民实现完全可持续的未来。本文分析了上述方面以及未来的法律和监管挑战。