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LNG terminal in Rotterdam (archive image)
Photo: SEM VAN DER WAL / AFP
The environmental organization Greenpeace has criticized the government's planned expansion of the LNG infrastructure as oversized and harmful to the climate.
"The fear of a Russian delivery stop must not be the gateway for the next fossil dependency," Greenpeace warned on Monday.
The expansion of the LNG infrastructure should “be limited to immediate crisis prevention”.
According to a study by the Hamburg research and consulting office EnergyComment commissioned by Greenpeace, up to twelve LNG terminals are currently being planned in Germany, including floating liquefied natural gas terminals (FSRU).
These extensive investments and the associated long-term supply contracts for LNG "create a long-term dependency on climate-damaging natural gas," criticized Greenpeace.
The expansion plans contradict the climate goals to which Germany and Europe have committed.
The Federal Republic would thus become one of the largest importers of liquid gas in the world - the previous volume of Russian gas imports would also be "significantly" exceeded with the current plans, according to the study.
The environmental organization warned that if the newly built terminals were not shut down again in a timely manner, the remaining CO2 budget in the Federal Republic of Germany would be largely used up.
In particular, the construction of terminals on land takes several years and is therefore not suitable for defusing the short-term supply crisis in winter.
In addition, there is a risk of renewed dependence on individual export countries when importing liquid gas.
Only the USA and Qatar are able to significantly increase their export volumes of liquefied gas - this "increases Europe's dependence on individual large terminals and the strategic goals of these two export countries," the study continued.
Technical new territory
Greenpeace criticized the plans of the federal government to convert the terminals for the import of green hydrogen as unfeasible.
With the plans to convert the terminals, "uncharted technical territory" will be entered.
Central components of the terminals would have to be replaced, many of the components required for this were not yet available on the market.
The current expansion plans would therefore have to be stopped in their “oversized form”.
Instead, Greenpeace called for additional energy-saving efforts.
Instead of expanding the LNG infrastructure, "gas must be consistently saved, the installation of heat pumps must be promoted and buildings insulated, and the focus must be on a new industrial location policy."
till/AFP
