Against the background of almost full storage facilities, the Association of German Gas Storage Operators has warned against taking the crisis lightly. “Following the precautionary phase, we are now entering the winter phase.
The challenges that winter has in store are greater than those of the precautionary phase,” said the managing director of the Energy Storage Initiative (Ines), Sebastian Bleschke, on Thursday of the German Press Agency. According to the European gas storage association GIE, the German storage facilities are too 99.19 percent filled.
Bleschke emphasized that high memory levels alone are not enough. “Two things are required: We have to further reduce gas consumption, especially when very cold temperatures occur. And the domestic market as a whole has to import much more LNG in winter than at present.” Then you can get through the winter well.
On the key date of November 1, all but two storage tanks in Germany were at least 95 percent full, as required by law. The largest storage facility in Rehden, Lower Saxony, was 92.5 percent full. A smaller storage facility in Epe, North Rhine-Westphalia, reported a value of 91.1 percent.
The storage facilities compensate for fluctuations in gas consumption and form a buffer system for the market. They are usually well filled when the heating season begins in autumn. The filling levels then decrease until spring. In Germany there are around 25 storage operators with over 40 underground storage facilities.
Lower gas consumption than in previous years
According to the Federal Network Agency, gas consumption in Germany last week was again well below the average for the years 2018 to 2021. While an average of 2628 gigawatt hours of natural gas were consumed daily in week 43 of these four years, this year it was 1672 gigawatt hours and thus a good 36 percent less. The reason for this was, among other things, the comparatively high temperatures, so that less heating was required.
The authority again emphasized the importance of economical gas consumption. A national shortage in winter can be avoided if, firstly, the savings target of at least 20 percent is further achieved. “Secondly, the LNG terminals have to feed in at the beginning of the year.” Third, the decline in imports caused by the winter and the increase in exports, which are currently low, should be more moderate.
