Gas: industry association is groping in the dark - the effects of a possible gas shortage are unclear

Created: 08/26/2022, 09:53

By: Patricia Huber

In the fight against rising energy prices, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck does not believe that the savings targets have been achieved by a long shot.

• Don't save energy

  at the expense of security

  : Despite the savings measures, it shouldn't become pitch black in the cities.

• Gas prices

  continue to

  soar

  : The prices on the electricity exchange have cracked the 300 euro mark.

• The federal government would like to

  increasingly rely on biogas

  : the domestic energy source is intended to remedy the gas crisis.

• This news ticker on the gas crisis is constantly updated.

Update from August 26, 9:14 a.m .:

According to the industry association Zukunft Gas, the effects of a possible serious shortage of gas in winter for the German economy are not yet foreseeable.

"It is still unclear which companies or sectors would have to stand back if the government were to declare the emergency level," said the association's board member, Timm Kehler, in Berlin.

"The exact criteria according to which the Federal Network Agency would then prioritize are still unclear."

Don't save energy at the expense of safety

Update from August 25, 4:37 p.m .:

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck’s energy saving plans have sparked discussions.

Above all, the switching off of illuminated advertisements causes concern among many citizens.

It is said that the plans were at the expense of public safety, especially in the cold season.

But the Ministry of Economics contradicts: “Germany is dimming down, but it is not pitch black in our inner cities.

Safety remains guaranteed,” said a spokeswoman.

After all, shop window lighting and street lighting are exempt from the Energy Saving Ordinance.

Gas prices continue to soar

Update from August 25, 11:09 a.m .:

The gas price continues to soar.

On Thursday, the quotation on the Dutch energy exchange TTF jumped over the mark of 300 euros per megawatt hour.

In the morning, the price rose by more than six percent to almost 316 euros per megawatt hour.

Only in the period immediately after the outbreak of war in Ukraine was the price of natural gas traded in Europe briefly higher, peaking at EUR 345.

In mid-August 2021, the price per megawatt hour was still 21 euros.

The federal government would like to increasingly rely on biogas

Update from August 24, 6 p.m.:

In view of the gas crisis, the federal government wants to use the potential of domestic biogas more than before.

At the "Energy Days" in Berlin, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Patrick Graichen, announced that existing barriers to the use of biogas are to be removed and addressed as part of an amendment to the Energy Security Act.

There is potential in biogas.

The question is how big this is, said Graichen.

According to BDEW estimates, 100 terawatt hours of biomethane could be produced in Germany and fed into the gas network by 2030.

This corresponds to about a fifth of the amount of natural gas that Germany consumed in Russian natural gas last year.

CDU would like to tip the gas surcharge - Habeck defends plans: "Serves security of supply"

Update from August 24, 4:32 p.m .:

The CDU is making a front against the gas surcharge and wants to overturn it through the Bundestag.

"This gas surcharge should be abolished," said CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja on Wednesday in Berlin after consultations with the Presidium and the Federal Executive Board.

The Union faction will apply in the next week of the Bundestag to withdraw it.

The Bundestag can decide this according to the Energy Security Act.

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck defended the levy.

The Green politician made it clear on Wednesday that the regulation serves to ensure security of supply.

"It is undisputed that this is a painful operation, with unreasonable demands." The socio-political "imbalances" would have to be compensated for by other measures.

Those who cannot afford the high energy costs and the levy must be financially supported in such a way that energy does not push them into poverty.

Robert Habeck hires citizens on a “long way”.

Update from August 24, 12:44 p.m .:

Regarding the savings measures, Habeck once again explains how important it is to also make private households responsible.

Without the participation of households and companies, not enough gas can be saved.

"We are therefore dependent on Germany standing together in these difficult times," explains the minister.

Update from August 24, 12:29 p.m .:

Robert Habeck is now speaking.

He once again explains the energy-saving measures with which the federal government wants to reduce gas consumption by two to two and a half percent.

However, he also warns: "It saves energy, but not so much that we can sit back and say, 'That's it then.'" He also warns: "We still have a long way to go."

In order to save energy, public buildings should generally only be heated to a maximum of 19 degrees from September.

The federal cabinet passed a corresponding regulation on Wednesday in Berlin.

Until now, the recommended minimum temperature for offices was 20 degrees.

Transit areas such as corridors, foyers or technical rooms should normally no longer be heated.

These and a number of other requirements are to apply for six months.

It is also planned to stop lighting buildings and monuments for purely aesthetic or representative reasons.

Illuminated advertising systems should also be switched off overnight.

Wissing with clear words - "energy train" has priority

Update from August 24, 12:21 p.m .:

At a joint press conference with Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens), Volker Wissing confirmed the plans to prioritize energy transport by rail.

He says that the regulation "would be in the interest of all of us".

Passenger traffic would only be affected if an "energy train" were announced.

Wissing: "We are now dependent on rail"

First report from August 24, 12:00 p.m.:

Berlin – Coal transports will soon be increasingly carried out by rail.

But if energy transport is given priority by rail, passengers on trains may have to be patient.

"If it should happen that we have to activate the prioritization of coal transports, then it can happen that a passenger train has to wait at the end, because the supply of the power plants has progressed," said Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing on Wednesday in the ARD morning magazine .

“In fact, personal transport is dependent on a stable energy supply.

Without a stable energy supply, no passenger train will run, it also needs electricity, and that is why it is also in the interests of long-distance passenger transport on the railways that the power plants are supplied with energy," said the FDP politician.

program "Frühstart"

: "Climate change has fully reached us." With the low water levels, the inland waterway largely fails, "that hits us hard".

Even if drought and low water levels continue in the future, he does not see inland waterway transport coming to an end: "We have to react to this and further expand the inland waterways." Currently, other means of transport have to be used.

“We are now very dependent on rail.

It now has to provide additional capacities.”

An ordinance drawn up by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Transport provides that the transport of mineral oil, gas, coal and transformers should temporarily be given priority in rail transport.

This is intended to secure the energy supply in Germany.