6 minutes agoGermany's gas reserves took red line, eyes toward Arabia, America
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)Germany's dependence on Russian gas is huge. Germany is now seeking solutions to find options in the short- and medium-term plan. But this crisis is strengthening the conviction of the need for renewable energy. The largest gas station in Western Europe is located in Down Below Saxony, 2,000m underground. It's how much [...]
The largest gas station in Western Europe is located in Down Below Saxony, 2,000m underground. It's about 910 football fields and it can store enough gas to hold two million homes for a year. But the gas level in it does not reach even three percent of the volume. This is the level of all the gas deposits of Astoria company, which includes deposits in question.
Astoria is a Russian energy corporation's daughter company Gazprom and accounts for more than a third of the gas deposits in Germany. According to German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, the warehouses are left systematically empty for two reasons: To keep the price of gas high and pressure: Gas as a political weapon.
New Gas Reserve Law
About 55 percent of German gas imports come from Russia, with 50 percent of solid coal and more than 30 percent of oil. While there is a strategic reserve of 90 days for oil and coal, there is no such thing. It's companies themselves who decide how much resources they need, DW reports.
One mistake, as we know now and the current minister Robert Habeck has admitted. The Federal Ministry of Economy wants to change this as soon as possible. First with the gas. The government has adopted a new law regulating the minimum levels of gas deposits -- 80 per cent on October 1st of each year and 90 per cent on December 1st. On February 1st, the minimum amount should be at least 40 percent.
Minedian Solutions Required
The law is expected to go into effect in May, so that the summer <x0) session will be used for storing deposits”, the German Ministry of Economy announced. But what if Moscow orders power supplies to be limited or even blocked? This could lead to severe shortages by autumn and even in the coming winter.
In government circles, it's working for solutions. In times of crisis, many things can be imagined that in normal circumstances would be unimaginable.
One of the possibilities: Leave the nuclear reactors to work? After the reactor at Fukushima, Japan, Germany decided to close its reactors. The last three nuclear power plants will be shut down by the end of 2022.
Even though Minister Habeck has said he will not go against it because of ideological causes he is of the green party this option is seen as uninhibited. Preparations for closing reactors are so advanced that continuing operations are not possible for security reasons. According to operating companies, it would be technically difficult to buy the fuel bars needed to keep them at work so quickly. Another problem is lack of specialists.
According to the country's economy minister, Northern Renan étphali, Andreas Pinkwart, it would take a year and a half to overcome these problems. This means that reactors would be closed at the end of the year and put into operation not before the winter season 2023/2024.
Coal energy?
The gradual reduction of coal energy is also a finished job. The coalition agreement between the ruling SPD, Green and FDP parties envisions that “idely” by 2030 all coal mines in Germany have been closed.
There are 52 coal-powered thermal power plants in the Renan North-Vestaphali London alone. The prime ministers of the countries have now demanded that the government review even the possibility of extending the deadline for giving up coal production.
Gas from Arab countries
To replace Russian energy supplies in the short term, the Ministry of Economic Affairs is considering buying more gas from other countries. At stake are Arab countries, Minister Habeck said after a meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels. Qatar has the second largest natural gas reserves in the world after Russia.
U.S. vigourous gas
In addition, liquid gas will be imported, which will be shipped by U.S. For this, Germany will build two terminals on the coast of the North Sea, at Brunsbüttel and Wilhelshaven, which can later also be used for hydrogen -- a mobile terminal in the water and another permanent one on land. The problem: Only the process of adopting construction permits will have to last from two to five years.
The liquid gas is considered a contaminated “ ” because it is obtained through polluting framing. It's also more expensive than normal natural gas. But on the road to climate neutrality, gas has so far played a crucial role as a transit energy source. Modern gas thermo power plants emit less CO2 than coal power plants.
Renewable Energy
Economy Minister Habeck, who is currently in the US, has said he will talk there not only about buying liquid gas -- but also about the prospects the current crisis opens to massively expand investments in green energy.
“The key to our energy sovereignty is global transformation towards renewable energy and more efficiency in energy,” said Economy Minister Habeck before leaving for the United States.
For the German government, expanding the capacity of renewable energy sun and wind is indisputable. As of July, a legal package for full power supply from renewable energy will take effect by 2035. The law says that this transformation is “of priority public interest and serves public security”.
High Cost
But these investments are future. Right now it's only about how Germany will afford an energy embargo Putin can make in response to Germany's involvement in his war in Ukraine. This is about gas shopping. And of course it will increase energy prices.
To ease citizens' burden, the German government has said it will cancel the fee with which electricity customers have so far helped finance renewable power capacities. But this will also open a small hole in Germany's state ark -- namely, 3.7 cents per kilowatt-hor -- that is, from 1.1 billion euros less per month.
