The objective of the study Artelys has carried out on behalf of the European Climate Foundation is to analyse the need for energy infrastructure in various climate neutral scenarios at the 2050 time horizon. The key findings are that important needs for cross-border electricity infrastructure appear in all the considered scenarios, while the need for cross-border hydrogen infrastructure strongly depends on the geographic allocation of renewable energy sources across Europe. Finally, the study shows that security of supply in Europe can be maintained without investing in additional methane projects.

The European Commission has selected Artelys and Trinomics to analyse the methodology used by ENTSOG to assess the sustainability impacts of gas infrastructure projects, and to provide recommendations on improvements. In its current project-specific cost-benefit analysis methodology, ENTSOG evaluates the environmental impacts of gas infrastructure projects to support the selection of projects of common interest. Artelys has first identified the strengths and weaknesses of the current approach used by ENTSOG. In particular, Artelys has identified that while the objective of the current approach is relatively clear, the way fuel switches are computed is too simplistic and does not capture all the interlinkages between vectors (electricity and gas) or the cross-border effects of projects, mostly due to limitations of ENTSOG’s current modelling capabilities. New approaches have been proposed by Artelys and discussed with the EC and ENTSOG. Tests have been performed to determine how the new indicators could be implemented in the next TYNDP cycle, which will lead to the establishment of the 5th PCI list. The methodology we have proposed also aims at capturing sustainability effects linked to potential methane leakages and non-CO2 emissions (including GHG and non-GHG emissions).