Lorenz Valk, Dr Philipp Heuser and Dr Henning Schuster address this question in their article “Gas Grid Transformation in Practice: Insights and Recommendations from Strategic Studies on the Future of Distribution Grids”, published in issue 05/2026 of energate magazine emw. The authors outline the challenges facing gas grid operators and identify the areas that should already be addressed today.

The economic management of the transition is crucial

The future of gas distribution grids will not be determined by the long-term target state alone, but above all by the ability to make the right decisions under uncertainty. In the future, gas grids will be significantly smaller and increasingly focused on industrial and energy-sector anchor customers.

The key challenge is to manage the transition in an economically viable way. As the number of connected customers declines, there is a risk of a problematic cycle: rising specific grid costs lead to higher network charges. These, in turn, may encourage additional customers to switch to alternative supply solutions.

To address this development at an early stage and actively shape the transformation, the authors identify five key areas for action.

Five recommendations for gas grid operators

1. Establish a data-driven “decommissioning radar”
A data-driven decommissioning radar makes it possible to identify economically viable transformation pathways at an early stage, providing a sound basis for strategic decisions.

2. Prepare for distribution network development plans
Grid operators should advance their preparations for distribution network development plans (VNEP) while systematically building the capabilities required to plan and implement decommissioning.

3. Engage anchor customers at an early stage
Industrial and energy-sector anchor customers should be involved in the process at an early stage and integrated into target network planning.

4. Assess the role of biomethane realistically
The potential of biomethane should be assessed realistically, taking into account availability, costs and the regulatory framework, and incorporated into transformation planning.

5. Align investments with the long-term target network
Investment decisions should be consistently aligned with the long-term target network, with cost efficiency playing a central role.

Making the transformation predictable and economically viable

The future lies neither in nationwide biomethane supply nor in the comprehensive conversion of today’s distribution grids to hydrogen. Instead, the key is to manage the transition towards future network structures in a way that is economically viable, secure in terms of supply and predictable.

E-Bridge supports gas grid operators in planning their transformation strategically and in an economically viable way, from developing the target network to defining a decommissioning strategy. The contacts for this topic are Dr Philipp Heuser and Lorenz Valk.

The full german article “Gas Grid Transformation in Practice: Insights and Recommendations from Strategic Studies on the Future of Distribution Grids” was published in issue 05/2026 of energate magazine emw.

Here you can find the German article: emw_05_2026: Gasnetztransformation in der Praxis: Erkenntnisse und Handlungsempfehlungen aus Strategiestudien zur Zukunft der Verteilnetze