Moreover, gas-fired power plants have the potential to be converted to hydrogen or biofuels, making them even climate-friendlier. The same advantages apply to heavy industry, space heating, and transport. Here too, shifting from coal and petroleum products to gas and furthermore hydrogen or biofuels would reduce emissions swiftly, sharply, and affordably.

Uniper the enabler

Uniper is ideally placed to lead the conversion to gas. We’re already converting one coal site to gas, and investigating such a step for other sites. In addition to being cleaner than coal, gas-fired plants can ramp up and down very quickly. This makes them transmission system operators’ ideal choice for balancing out the fluctuations in renewables output and keeping the grid stable.

We’re also one of Europe’s largest importers of pipeline gas and LNG. Uniper’s reliable supply of gas and LNG supports Europe’s transition to a lower-carbon future. And the infrastructure supporting that — including our 8 bcm of underground gas storage capacity — will be essential for establishing a hydrogen economy.

Our other energy sources

Gas - fast-track decarbonization

Alongside expanding renewables capacity, gas will continue to play an important role in decarbonizing economies worldwide. Take power generation. Converting from coal to gas would deliver immediate and dramatic carbon savings. 

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Uniper engineer at work at a gas power station in Öresundsverket, Sweden

Hydro power - clean electricity from water

We’ve been producing zero-carbon power for over 125 years. Our first hydro plant, Höllriegelskreuth in southeast Germany, entered service in 1894.Today, we have 2 GW of hydro capacity in Germany. We also have 1.6 GW in Sweden.

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Aerial view of a hydro plant in Sweden

Wind and Solar - making our power portfolio even greener

In the past, Europe’s renewables growth was fueled almost entirely by subsidies. That has changed. In many countries wind and solar have achieved grid parity; that is, they can produce electricity at roughly the same cost as or less than other sources like gas.

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Image of solar panels in the foreground and wind turbines in the background

Hydrogen - the key to decarbonizing industry

Companies and communities across Europe have embarked on a decarbonization journey. Low- and zero-carbon hydrogen can make this journey possible. It can power vehicles, locomotives, and ships. It can be injected into the gas network and subsequently used to generate electricity and heat homes. Finally, it can be combined with captured carbon dioxide to produce climate-neutral chemicals and green diesel and jet fuel.

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Close up of hydrogen molecules

Nuclear - zero-carbon mainstay of Northern Europe

At the end of 2022, Germany’s remaining nuclear power plants will split their last atoms. In Northern Europe, by contrast, nuclear energy is far less controversial. Uniper has 1.4 GW of attributable nuclear capacity in Sweden, which relies on nuclear energy for about 40% of its electricity.

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Uniper engineer working at a nuclear power plant at OKG, Sweden

Coal - making a fast exit

Some of Uniper’s deepest roots are in countries — Germany, Britain, and Russia — that had abundant coal reserves. They used them. To make steel, to generate electricity, to fuel prosperity. We’ve operated some of Europe’s biggest and best coal-fired power stations.

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Uniper engineer inspecting a valve a plant in Maasvlakte

Our global presence

We continue to strengthen our presence in key markets, develop innovative solutions and acquire companies in prioritized areas. Uniper solutions are sold to over 100 countries and we currently operate in over 40 countries.

Locations