EU’s biggest economy far from replacing Russian pipeline supply, data shows
Germany could face a shortage of liquefied natural gas (LNG) next winter as guaranteed volumes under existing contracts fall short of demand in the country, Bild am Sonntag reported on Sunday, quoting Mark Helfrich , member of the Bundestag’s Energy Affairs Committee. .
In a letter to the Budget Committee, German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck referred to statistics showing that current gas deals provide 75 billion cubic meters (bcm) of LNG, while the country needs 86 billion. m3 to run the largest economy in the EU. Germany therefore faces a deficit of 11 billion cubic meters of LNG.
Commenting on the data, Helfrich expressed concern about how the country will survive the upcoming heating season as “There is still no clarity on how LNG imports could be increased.”
Berlin managed to reduce its dependence on Russian energy last year by importing LNG through its European neighbors and increasing pipeline flows from Norway and the Netherlands. However, its gas tanks had been filled over the summer, when Russian gas was still flowing directly into the country.
German gas storage facilities are currently well filled and there is no immediate danger of a shortage. However, once stores run dry later this year and the time comes to fill them for the next heating season, Germany could face shortages and will again be forced to introduce drastic measures. ‘energy saving.
“For the economy, this will mean a reduction in production”, Helfrich warned.
According to estimates, Germany is still far from fully replacing Russian pipeline gas supplies with LNG. Even with the commissioning of new import terminals, the energy crisis will not loosen its grip until 2026, when additional production capacity from the United States or Qatar becomes available.
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