Since the regulatory framework for the liberalisation of the gas market has now been at least partially established, the gas trade is slowly gaining momentum. In co-operation with Essent, novogate and Trianel European Energy Trading GmbH have concluded a contract for more than 400 million kWh of gas, to be delivered during the summer months of 2008 at the VTP North of E.ON Gastransport.

Novogate is the recently founded joint subsidiary of Deutsche Essent and Bayerngas. The company is creating a gas procurement platform for public services, supported by capacities and know-how of the two parent companies. Essent has been active at the various trade points in Germany for some time. From the onset of the liberalisation, Trianel has offered public utility companies access to international commercial markets, and supported them in optimising and restructuring their gas procurement portfolio through a wide range of services.

"This agreement shows that the gas market is starting to move. While the framework is still far from optimal, it is now at least possible for alternative providers to offer their products in the market," explains Klaus Schuessler, Managing Director of novogate, to emphasise the importance of the contract.

Juergen Borowka, who is responsible for the Natural Gas Trading & Logistics section at Trianel, endorses the agreed solution of a dual contract model for network access, which further boosts the importance of virtual trade points. Borowka sees a need for further action: "In order to bundle enough assets for effective trading, the next step must now be to significantly reduce the number of market zones."

About novogate

novogate is a joint subsidiary of Bayerngas GmbH and Deutsche Essent GmbH, with its registered office in Munich. In the Munich und Duesseldorf locations, the company is building a gas procurement platform for public services. Ulrich Mayr and Klaus Schuessler are managing directors of the new enterprise.

About Essent

Essent is the largest energy utility in the Netherlands and one of the leading international companies in this sector employing over 11,250 people. Emission trade is done through Essent Trading (ET). ET is working internationally and pursues a successful and rapidly growing wholesale business focused on coal, gas, LNG, biomass fuels, emissions, electric power and transport. EET is headquartered in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.

In Germany Essent is represented by Deutsche Essent GmbH in Düsseldorf. The company sees itself mainly as partner of local and regional utilities. Besides other activities Deutsche Essent provides customised gas and electric power products for local utilities through its partly owned subsidiaries KOM-STROM, Leipzig and novogate, Düsseldorf/München. With an installed capacity of 480 MW Deutsche Essent is also one of the leading wind power operators in north west Europe.

About Trianel

Trianel European Energy Trading GmbH is the wholesale organisation of the Trianel group. Business activities are focussed on the provision of solutions for energy procurement and marketing, as well as energy and emission trading. With nine enterprises belonging to the Trianel group, and some 60 public utility companies in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland, Trianel is the leading network for the bundling of municipal activities in the competitive market.

Further information by: Eva Wagner
Manager Communication Deutsche Essent GmbH
Roßstraße 92 40476
Düsseldorf
Telephone +49 211 60129-165
Telefax +49 211 60129-100
E-mail: presse@essent.de

Denise Matthèe Marketing & Communications Manager
Trianel European Energy Trading GmbH
Lombardenstrasse 28
D-52070 Aachen
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 41320-0 Fax: +49 (0) 41320-303
E-mail: info@trianel.com