Although the Covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted so many areas of the economy and social life, still does not allow us to return to normal, gas markets continue their operation despite difficulties and perform their basic functions and try to meet new challenges for the energy sector. Conference organizers have monitored and analyzed processes on Polish and international gas markets to adjust topics to the most recent issues for the industry. Undoubtedly, one of them is the energy transition and the role of gas fuels, natural gas in particular, in the rapidly unfolding process in the country, region and in the world. 

The energy transition is going to be the most serious challenge for the energy and gas industries in the upcoming decade. The implementation of EU climate goals requires funding for new investment and innovative approach to technology and logistics in the broad energy sector. Thus, it is necessary to develop optimized energy transition models that cater for individual needs in particular EU member states. Those needs translate into a tremendous potential for cooperation between countries, utility companies, financial institutions and research centers. The Three Seas Initiative is an excellent platform for establishing and developing cooperation that fosters energy transition in the region and in the entire EU. Natural gas should be a transition fuel in the Polish and regional transformation of power and heating sectors. The gas industry should also contribute to the transformation of petrochemical and chemical industries by providing and promoting “green gases”, such as hydrogen and biomethane. The energy transition is a serious challenge for the gas industry and, at the same time, a brilliant business opportunity for the sector.

As during previous international energy summits, also this time, we are going to concentrate on opportunities and potential for cooperation between countries that are members of the Three Seas Initiative and Ukraine. This is will be the topic of the first discussion panel during the 24th Conference GAZTERM and a part of the Three Seas Initiative-Ukraine Gas Summit. We are convinced that challenges related to energy security, streamlining of the market, and energy transition necessitate a multi-faceted cooperation and coordination of efforts.

The well-established Three Seas Initiative offers a relevant political forum for decision-making and the implementation of strategic plans in the areas concerned. Three Seas Initiative countries have been building their strengths, including the third in the region LNG terminal on the Krk Island, Croatia, which have already started operating, the Polish PLN terminal in Świnoujście which is going to increase its regasification capacity, the advancement in building of the Baltic Pipe and GIPL, and the continued effort on the Polish-Slovak border to develop a new interconnector. Moreover, while struggling with military and economic challenges, Ukraine has successfully completed a very demanding phase of their gas market reform by the implementation of unbundling and designation of independent operators for the transmission system and storage. At the same time, the determination of Ukrainian operators has been recognized in developing of an attractive infrastructure services for other gas market participants in Europe. The above examples comprise a sufficient critical mass to develop and implement joint strategic gas projects. One of the goals for this year’s GAZTERM is to initiate a relevant dialogue. During the conference, the discussion involving representatives of governments from the Three Seas Initiative countries and Ukraine will concentrate, among other things, on the following questions: How can we use the existing and new infrastructure (pipelines and storages) to ensure security and liquidity of cross border gas trade in the region? Can Three Seas Initiative countries and Ukraine create an alternative to the Russian-German gas alliance? Should natural gas be a “transition fuel” for countries in the region during their energy transition process?

 

As in previous years, the conference will include the highlights of new, interesting projects developed and implemented on the Polish gas market by our Partners. We are going to continue the discussion started two years ago and devoted to cybersecurity and protection of energy infrastructure, especially that the number of threats in the cyberspace has continued to grow.

 

Being the organizers of the conference, we undertake to make every effort to maintain the high ranking of GAZTERM. This will be ensured by proving top notch services during the conference and merit-based discussions. The guarantor of the latter will be the Lower Silesian Institute for Energy Studies (DISE), our Conference Merit Partner. We are also going to have on board Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo S.A. (PGNiG), our long-term main conference partner, and the Polish Chamber of the Natural Gas Industry, the Industry Partner.

We are looking forward to seeing you at this year’s conference, a conference which has become a fixed item in the calendar of major events for the energy industry.