With effect from 1 April 2011, the former market areas Open Grid Europe L-Gas, Thyssengas H-Gas and Thyssengas L-Gas were merged with the market area of NetConnect Germany, which at that point in time comprised networks for high calorific value gas only. In merging their market areas the parties involved complied with their obligations under the German Gas Third-Party Access Regulations ( GasNZV) in due time while at the same time launching the first multi-quality market area in Germany, which facilitated a cross-quality balancing, i.e. a balancing of portfolios across the two gas qualities available within the market area (high calorific value gas and low calorific value gas).Balancing group managers who operate balancing groups for gas of both gas qualities within the market area NetConnect Germany are required to link these balancing groups so that they can make use of the conversion opportunities provided by the multi-quality market area.
In the market area of NetConnect Germany, mixing plants are used to convert gas both from and to high calorific value gas quality and low calorific value gas quality (technical concversion), respectively. Where the conversion capacity of these plants is not sufficient to meet requirements, the market area manager will have to revert to the balancing tools available and thus take commercial conversion measures.