Green Transformation

We are shaping the future!
This is all about climate protection.

 

In order to successfully shape the fundamental change towards a decarbonised, climate-neutral energy industry and thus contribute to the fulfilment of the European climate protection goals, we as an organisation must drive the transformation towards new business segments.

For us, one thing is certain: We are there for our customers and partners to accompany them on their way into the green future, especially with regard to the future-oriented areas of hydrogen and biomethane. Against this backdrop, our parent company VNG AG launched the Group-wide strategy process VNG 2030+ in 2017, which shows how we intend to actively shape the energy transition. Within VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH, we have established an Expert-Team that coordinates and moderates green projects and topics with a targeted approach. 

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Transformation_Grafik_ENG

'Green gases' roadmap

Beyond the VNG 2030+ strategy, we are following our roadmap for commitment to renewable and climate-neutral gases. Based on specific projects and research priorities, this paves the way for the green transformation at VNG in the coming years. Where there is natural gas still flowing today, renewable gases can provide the same services in the future. These include the CO2-neutral energy sources hydrogen and biomethane, which are in particular demand in emissions-intensive industry and in heavy goods transport.

These 'green gases' are not only a guarantee for security of energy supplies, they also have a high climate protection potential at the same time. However, while the majority of final energy consumption comes from fossil fuels, 'green gases' currently account for less than one per cent of total gas consumption. This ratio must be reversed within the next few years and decades in order to advance the long-term German and European climate protection targets. 

Hydrogen

Hydrogen has very good prerequisites to become the climate-neutral technology of the future in the energy market in the long term. There are various processes that can be used to produce hydrogen. Depending on the type of generation and production-related CO2-emissions, a distinction is made between green, blue, turquoise and grey hydrogen. Currently, the most cost-effective hydrogen production process is natural gas steam methane reforming (SMR), as the production for green hydrogen from renewable energies via water electrolysis is associated with very high costs.

The hydrogen colour spectrum

Green H2

Hydrogen produced by electrolysis processes using renewable electricity in a CO2-neutral way. Alternatively, green hydrogen can also be produced from climate-friendly biogas or biomethane, for example through steam reforming.

Blue H2

Hydrogen produced from natural gas by steam reforming. The resulting CO2 is stored in suitable geological structures by means of carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Turquoise H2

Hydrogen obtained by splitting methane (pyrolysis). During production, instead of CO2, the end product is solid carbon, which can be stored and used in various industries.

Grey H2

Hydrogen obtained from fossil energy sources, the production of which produces CO2-emissions. One common process is steam reforming from natural gas. 

Climate-friendly biomethane

Biogas is produced exclusively from residues and renewable raw materials. To this end, BALANCE Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of VNG AG, continues to work on optimising production processes. The biogas produced is upgraded to biomethane and fed into the existing natural gas network, thereby replacing natural gas as a fossil fuel. Biomethane has the same properties as natural gas and therefore serves as a climate-safe and sustainable alternative in cars and heavy goods transport, in electricity and heat production as well as in industrial and commercial enterprises.

Our role on the way to a green future

 

We want to actively shape the green transformation and accompany you as your strategic partner into the green future. To pave the way towards a decarbonised, climate-neutral energy industry, it is important for us as an organisation both to push ahead with the advancement of our established business areas relating to gas and to drive forward the transformation to new business segments. The implementation of the decarbonisation strategy brings with it a host of new projects, issues and challenges and requires cross-departmental thinking and proactive action to achieve our common goals. This lays the foundation for our future sustainable growth and for a climate-neutral future.

Energy park Bad Lauchstädt 

The regulatory sandbox for the energy transition - intelligent generation of green H2 from wind power

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Project GreenRoot

Green hydrogen for an emission-free future in central Germany

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Project AZAN

Ammonia cracking for Germany's hydrogen supply

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Project Chile

Hydrogen import project in cooperation with TotalEnergies
 

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Project H2GE Rostock

German-Norwegian hydrogen project in cooperation with Equinor

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Funding and Regulation

At the European level, the climate-neutral future of the energy industry is being actively promoted in order to achieve the European goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Instruments such as the Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) play a major role in the funding and regulatory landscape. But what exactly is behind it?

Carbon Contracts for Difference


Carbon Contracts for Difference are climate protection agreements between the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and companies in emission-intensive sectors that are intended to make climate-friendly production processes marketable. How do the CCfD work in practice?

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Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism


The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism was introduced on October 1, 2023 in accordance with Regulation 2023/956 of the EU. As a part of the EU’s “Fit for 55” package, it aims to address the risk of greenhouse gas emissions leakage and thus contribute to the implementation of the Green Deal.

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H2Global Foundation


As a founding member and member of the board of trustees, we support the non-profit and cross-sector H2Global Foundation and in doing so advance the promotion of hydrogen as the energy source of the future. The Foundation contributes to the achievement of the targets adopted in the National Hydrogen Strategy (NWS) in relation to the production and importation of green hydrogen. Through the efficient promotion of hydrogen production and international energy partnerships, a market ramp-up is to be achieved in the near future and thus the importation of green hydrogen to Germany is to be accelerated.

"Only by working together will we be successful in the long term, because the path to a green future is a joint task. If this succeeds, we will all benefit. Through our numerous projects, our goal is to find innovative and sustainable solutions to drive the transformation to a decarbonised society. Our involvement in the H2Global Foundation is also an important step towards making our energy supply more climate-neutral and in turn more sustainable."
 
Konstantin von Oldenburg, Managing Director VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH

What's behind the foundation?

The H2Global Expert Commission works to ensure that a local hydrogen industry develops in partner countries at the same time as the hydrogen export industry is established, as a pillar of the local energy transition. The market-oriented promotional programme was initially designed by the Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and is now being further developed under the project sponsorship of the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (DWV) within the framework of an expert commission.

The H2Global Expert Commission is made up of representatives from German industry, the financial sector, associations and public institutions who jointly pursue the goal of shaping the H2Global concept until it is ready for implementation. The development, especially in the fields of organisational structure, processes, services, countries, products and funding, takes place in close coordination with GIZ and the BMWi along with industry. 

Talk to us!


Got questions about green issues and projects at VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH? We look forward to hearing from you!

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Broschure
 

You can find the most important information about our green gas activities in our brochure.

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Concept of sustainability


Find out more about corporate responsibility and sustainability at VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH.

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