“We need to prepare for a potential total shutdown of Russian gas.” This was stated by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, speaking at the 17th Strategic Forum in Bled in Slovenia. “That is why we asked the Member States to reduce their gas consumption by 15% and to keep it in storage. This can save up to 45 billion cubic meters of natural gas, ”she added. “We are also substantially reducing our need for imported gas,” explained the president.
“The skyrocketing electricity prices are now highlighting, for various reasons, the limitations of our current design of the electricity market,” which “was developed under completely different circumstances and for completely different purposes. This is why we are now working on an emergency intervention and a structural reform of the electricity market ».
“Earlier this year, Russia and China openly declared ‘unlimited friendship’ and just a few weeks later, Russia launched its war against Ukraine,” concluded Von der Leyen. “The message couldn’t be more explicit. If we want to preserve fundamental principles such as self-determination and the inviolability of borders, Putin cannot win this war and Ukraine must win this war ».
Germany reactivates another coal-fired power plant to save gas
Try to run for cover. Germany has reactivated another coal-fired power plant to reduce the volume of natural gas used for electricity generation. The Heyden coal-fired power plant in Petershagen in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia has been put back into operation, says a spokesperson for operator Uniper. For his part, the environmental organization Greenpeace has defined the new start up of coal-fired power plants as necessary for energy supply. “It is bitter but inevitable that coal-fired power plants that have already been shut down will be back in operation,” says Greenpeace climate and energy expert Karsten Smid. “These plants should be used while Germany goes into operation to compensate for missing gas supplies from Russia,” he adds. He also made it clear that, in order for this not to mean a setback in climate protection, the additional emissions must be offset in the coming years. Germany plans to stop producing coal-fired electricity by 2038. But the war in Ukraine and the resulting disturbances in the energy market lead to the reactivation of some plants. Since July 14, a German government directive allows coal-fired power plants of the so-called network reserve to return to operation to save natural gas.