The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, warns against cancelling plans for the construction of further liquefied natural gas terminals. "We are miles away from overcapacity," Müller told the portal "t-online". "I am very concerned about the discussions about stopping LNG terminal construction. Because we don't know if the future winters will be so mild again." Even next winter, a gas shortage is not impossible.
"And we don't know what Putin is doing. Putin can continue to use gas as a weapon," Müller continued, for example about the pipeline that currently supplies southeastern Europe with gas. If Russian President Vladimir Putin also turns off the pipeline there, the EU's eyes will quickly turn to Germany, "to our liquefied natural gas terminals." Liquefied natural gas and the LNG terminals that are yet to come are Germany's insurance against cold winters and Russian aggression.
Important protection in case of emergency
Even if Germany may not always need the plants, it is still good to have them, Müller told "t-online". He therefore expressly advocates sticking to the planning and construction of the six LNG terminals.
Environmentalists and climate activists criticize the massive LNG expansion plans of the federal government as oversized. Locally, there is resistance from residents and local politicians. The coalition argues with a large "safety buffer" and with the "possible loss of import capacity due to accidents, sabotage or other exogenous events". The Ministry of Economic Affairs also repeatedly refers to the supply of European partners.
Müller dampened expectations of a comprehensive pipeline network in Germany for hydrogen, which could also be used by private households for heating, to "t-online". Germany is not even ready to have planned a hydrogen network between the industrial areas. "We are still at the very beginning."
The commitment of those involved now revolves around "procuring hydrogen in large quantities" and distributing it between those customers who are already dependent on it. "I am very much in favour of concentrating on the industry that needs hydrogen today and tomorrow," Müller said.