Maakaasulla

Maakaasulla is a term used in Estonian-language energy policy discourse to describe a proposed model for integrating natural gas into rural and regional energy systems as a flexible bridging fuel to support renewable electricity generation and district heating. The term combines maa ("land, earth") and gaas ("gas") with the derivational suffix -ulla, indicating a characteristic or feature.

The concept is not part of formal policy and has limited acceptance in scholarly literature. It appears in speculative policy discussions and regional forums exploring ways to increase energy security while maintaining lower emissions than coal, by using gas-fired technologies to balance intermittent renewables and to supply heat via district heating networks.

In practice, maakaasulla envisions a network of gas-fired combined heat and power plants connected to district heating with gas storage to cushion seasonal demand. The idea is to leverage existing gas infrastructure as a flexible energy carrier while gradually decarbonizing through efficiency gains and fuel switching, potentially including blending hydrogen with natural gas as the transition progresses.

Criticisms focus on methane leakage, the continued use of fossil fuels, and the risk that it delays deeper decarbonization. Supporters argue that it could provide immediate energy security and reliability during the transition to high shares of renewables.

See also: energy policy, natural gas, district heating, energy security, decarbonization.