Switch from lean gas to rich gas in Belgium – what will the impact be?
Starting next year, some Belgian households currently supplied with lean gas (type L) will switch to rich gas (type H). The operation, named “conversion from L-gas to H-gas” began in 2019 and end in 2029, affecting 1.6 million customers.
What impact will it have on energy bills and gas appliances belonging to Belgian households and businesses? Find the answers in this article.
What is the difference between lean gas and rich gas?
Since the early 1970s, two types of natural gas have coexisted in Belgium and are carried by separate distribution networks:
- Lean gas (L-gas) is a natural gas with a low calorific value that comes from Groningen-Slochteren in the Netherlands. It contains an average of 10.3 kWh/m³;
- Rich gas (H-gas) is a natural gas with a high calorific value that comes from Norway, the UK, Algeria, Germany and Qatar. It contains an average of 11.4 kWh/m³.
Lean gas and rich gas have different calorific qualities. The energy value of lean gas is about 15% lower than that of rich gas. In other words, when we consume 1 m³ of lean gas, we release 15% less energy than when we burn 1 m³ of rich gas. This means you need a larger volume of lean gas to cook or heat with, while rich gas will produce more energy for a given volume in cubic metres.
Why are we switching from lean gas to rich gas in Belgium?
The Netherlands, which is where the lean gas distributed in Belgium comes from, has decided to stop extracting from the Slochteren underground gas deposit, which is running out. To enable importing countries (Germany, France and one third of Belgium) to adapt their transport infrastructure and their domestic gas-fired appliances, the Dutch authorities have introduced a .
