FNB Gas
FNB Gas is the association of Germany's gas transmission system operators, representing the TSOs responsible for the high-pressure gas network and publishing capacity auction results for the German market area.
Last refreshed: 1 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did Germany's January gas storage auctions clear zero lots, and what happens next?
Timeline for FNB Gas
EU storage clears 40% but trajectory lags
European Energy MarketsGMTF calls EU gas markets 'functioning well'
European Energy MarketsDeclared the market-based storage-refill framework broken and called an overhaul absolutely essential
European Energy Markets: FNB Gas calls refill model broken- Why did Germany's gas storage auctions fail in January 2026?
- FNB Gas reported that 5.7 TWh of capacity offered in Germany and 750 GWh in the Netherlands went unbooked, with no lots clearing. The association attributed the failure to weak market incentives that make early injection uneconomic for commercial operators.Source: FNB Gas statement, 27 May 2026
- What is FNB Gas and what does it do?
- FNB Gas is the German association of gas transmission system operators, representing the four companies (Bayernets, Fluxys Deutschland, GASCADE, Ontras) that run the country's high-pressure gas transmission network.
- Will Germany meet the EU 90% gas storage target for winter 2026-27?
- Germany entered the 2026 injection season at roughly 64% fill, below the five-year average. The failure of the January 2026 capacity auctions to attract a single booking has raised official concern that market mechanisms alone cannot close the gap by 1 November.Source: FNB Gas statement, 27 May 2026
- How does the EU gas storage regulation work?
- EU Regulation 2022/1032 requires member states to fill underground gas storage to at least 90% of capacity by 1 November each year. It relies primarily on market incentives but allows member states to introduce mandatory targets if voluntary mechanisms fail.
Background
FNB Gas (Vereinigung der Fernleitungsnetzbetreiber Gas) told Berlin on 27 May 2026 that the market-based storage-refill framework is broken and needs an urgent legislative overhaul. The evidence: Germany offered 5.7 TWh and the Netherlands 750 GWh in the January 2026 capacity auctions for the 2026-27 storage year, and not a single lot cleared.
FNB Gas represents Germany's four gas transmission system operators: Bayernets, Fluxys Deutschland, GASCADE, and Ontras. Together they run roughly 12,000 km of high-pressure pipeline and manage cross-border entry and exit points. The association publishes auction results and acts as the technical interlocutor with Germany's federal network regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur.
With Germany entering the 2026 injection season at roughly 64% fill (below the five-year average), the zero-clearing auctions make the EU's 90%-by-1-November storage target a live political question. FNB Gas's statement forces a decision in Berlin: mandatory refill obligations or a market-incentive redesign before next winter.
