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Three Questions to Dr. Sebastian Kamper, Trading Hub Europe
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What tasks does Trading Hub Europe (THE) perform as market area managers in the German gas market?
As the market area manager, THE ensures the operational handling of the market area cooperation. Our tasks include balancing energy management, balancing group management and the provision and operation of the virtual trading point. Since 2022, we have also taken on statutory tasks to ensure security of supply
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Securing the gas supply in Germany requires a flexible procurement strategy. What challenges do you currently see in ensuring the security of gas supply?
Prices are very volatile, with prices currently rising sharply. In addition, storage facilities are emptying and the current summer/winter spread is clearly negative. It appears that some traders may be actively betting against the European storage filling targets. In extrem cases, this could lead to the storage facilities not being filled by the market and the storage level targets not being met. Although the filling of storage facilities should primarily be market-based, if necessary we would have to take additional measures in close coordination with the BMWK and BNetzA to ensure that the storage level targets defined in the law can be met.
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The gas market will also continue to develop with the planned hydrogen core grid structure. What role will THE play in the hydrogen economy in the future?
We hope for a central role! The BNetzA's current draft tenor for WasABI explicitly provides for an MAM. Since we at THE have performed our tasks reliably and to a high standard in recent years, it seems obvious that THE should be the first point of contact for the hydrogen MAM. Such an expansion of the tasks, especially in the future area of hydrogen would.
