08.05.2014
The Initiative Erdgasspeicher e.V. (INES) gains three new members: Since 1 May 2014, astora GmbH & Co. KG, Kassel, and RWE Gasspeicher GmbH, Dortmund, have been members of INES. Effective April 1, 2014, EWE Gasspeicher GmbH, headquartered in Oldenburg, joined the initiative.
The member companies of INES with their underground facilities operate about 90 percent of the natural gas storage capacity in Germany.
"We are very pleased that with our new members, three other major storage operators are supporting the work of the initiative," said Bernd Protze, Director of the INES Board. As a result, INES continues to establish itself as an important contact for politics and the media in questions of natural gas storage. "By storing gas locally, natural gas storage systems make a significant contribution to maintaining security of supply and price stability in the German gas market. Natural gas storage facilities can also be a central component of the future energy system because they offer a wide range of options for energy management. In addition, natural gas storage systems can integrate biomethane or methane from power-to-gas into the existing system and thus make an important contribution to the storage capacity of renewable energies," continues Protze.
The Initiative Erdgasspeicher e. V. (INES) is an association of large German storage operators and is based in Berlin. INES is committed to increasing public awareness of natural gas storage, which is equally indispensable for the energy transition and security of supply. The aim of the initiative is to work in close cooperation with the established German and European associations of the energy industry in the creation of an appropriate market framework.