The focus of the EDIaal project is on six subjects forming the foundation of a transition to a greener, more sustainable economy.

Energy transition, policy and legislation
The transition to a low carbon economy is enabled by political process. It will only be possible to introduce activities such as CO2 capture, transport and storage, increasing the percentage of renewables in the energy mix and energy-efficient measures through the crafting of appropriate policy and legislation. For this reason such measures will be governed by relevant legislation in which political aspirations will determine the role of each of these topics in the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

Gas in relation to renewable energy
Renewable energy generation technologies, such as biomass, wind, water, and solar energy, will form the foundation of a low carbon energy system. This will not only result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but also in dependency on fossil fuels. Since renewables are often of an intermittent nature, clean-burning natural gas provides a perfect solution for load balancing in electrical generation.

The use of underground and carbon capture and storage
EDI gathers and shares knowledge about the technical, economic and political aspects related to the use of geological formations and, in particular, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The focus is on economic feasibility, public acceptance, legislative aspects, safety, and environmental issues.

Energy efficiency
The transition to a low carbon economy depends largely on increases in the efficiency of energy use – in buildings, transport, and industry – and on the efficiency of energy generation. Many policy instruments focus on these aspects; EDI provides information to help people remain up to date on new regulations, new technological opportunities and the contribution of new methods of collaboration.

Green Gas
The contribution of gas to the Dutch energy mix is substantial. It will be necessary to utilise green gas to meet the ambitious sustainability goals that have been set. The introduction of green gas can contribute to the greening of the gas supply. Potentially, the northern provinces of the Netherlands have a strong position in the production and application of green gas. EDIAAL aims to strengthen this position.

The role of gas in smart grids
This topic focuses primarily on the role of gas in the balancing of the electricity market and optimising energy systems. In this topic applicable questions include: How can smart solutions contribute to efficiency; what is technically possible; what is best in terms of economy and what legislation is applicable?