As Europe transforms its energy system, it must balance climate ambition with energy security. Gas is the strategic backbone that will keep Europe's lights on and its transition on track.
Europe’s energy system is changing fast. Renewable power is expanding – generating 47% of the EU’s energy in 2025 – while the technologies that support a low-carbon grid are developing rapidly.
At the same time, recent years have underscored a fundamental principle: the energy transition can only succeed if it is built on security of supply, stability and long-term resilience.
Geopolitical shocks, increasingly volatile global markets and periods of extreme weather have revealed the risks of overreliance on any one energy source – with far-reaching consequences for Europe’s economy and society.
This reality framed the discussion at CERAWeek 2026 in Houston, where OMV Executive Vice President Energy Berislav Gašo joined peers to discuss the role of gas in Europe’s power system.
Gas has an important role to play in OMV’s Strategy 2030. It will be a core part of the diversified energy mix Europe needs to navigate future risks and deliver the secure, affordable power citizens depend on.
Gas as a strategic backbone
Gas provides flexibility that enables renewables to scale and supports system stability during periods of stress.
As Europe’s electricity system becomes increasingly renewable, flexibility becomes increasingly important. Research by the Centre for Regulation in Europe (CERRE) highlights that flexibility requirements in European energy systems “are expected to double by 2030 and triple by 2050, initially driven by the growing integration of renewable energy sources and later intensified by widespread electrification.”
Gas supports this flexibility, adding capacity to stabilise fluctuations in electricity supply. However, it is undermined by a reliance on too narrow a range of gas sources, exposing Europe to risk, as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have demonstrated.
Securing a diversified, reliable gas supply is therefore essential to navigate shocks and stabilise power markets. This, in turn, protects households and industry, underpinning energy security, competitiveness and system resilience well into the future.
Long-term resilience depends on control, diversification and reliability. Gas sovereignty – the ability to access diversified, dependable gas supply over time – is becoming increasingly important for Europe’s energy security.
Resilience is not achieved through one pathway alone. It comes from a balanced approach that combines different sources, routes and partnerships.
Investing in diversification and future-ready infrastructure
Long-term energy security requires both a broad supply base and infrastructure designed to endure and evolve. This is why OMV invests across the gas value chain, from domestic and regional production to LNG partnerships, storage, trading and transportation.
Projects such as Neptun Deep in the Romanian Black Sea and Wittau in Austria demonstrate the strategic value of domestic and regional supply. Producing gas closer to where it is consumed strengthens security of supply and reduces exposure to global volatility, and supporting resilience at the national and regional levels. This is reflected in Europe’s energy strategy.
At the same time, Europe’s gas infrastructure provides a strong foundation for the future energy system. Pipelines and networks can progressively integrate biomethane, hydrogen and other sustainable molecules, allowing the system to decarbonise over time without compromising reliability.
A transition that holds in practice
Europe’s energy transition must deliver under real-world conditions. Energy needs to remain available for households, industry and economies even during periods of geopolitical tension.
Security of supply and climate ambition are therefore deeply interconnected. A stable energy system enables investment, innovation and sustained emissions reduction.
This understanding is at the core of OMV’s strategy. By building diversified supply today while developing future-ready infrastructure for tomorrow, we aim to support an energy transition that is resilient and capable of delivering long-term value for Europe.