A fleet of tankers carrying liquefied natural gas has been stuck in a maritime traffic jam off the coast of Spain for a few days, waiting to offload their cargo and supply Europe’s power grids. After a wave of purchases, the region has built up a gas reserve so large that there is no more space to store the incoming fuel.
In Finland, where hot sauna baths are a national pastime, the government is encouraging friends and families to do saunas together to save energy.
Both efforts are emblematic of the steps Europe is taking to increase energy supplies and save fuel, ahead of a winter when there will be no Russian gas.
In Sweden, the diocese of Lund said it planned to close 150 of its 540 churches, partially or completely, this winter to save energy.
Germany and France have published comprehensive guidelines, which include reducing heating in all homes, businesses and public buildings, using household appliances during off-peak hours, and unplugging electronic devices when not in use.
Other countries have taken even more drastic measures: Denmark wants households to abandon the use of dryers and use clotheslines. Slovakia is asking citizens to use microwave ovens instead of stoves, and to brush their teeth using just a glass of water.
The Finnish government has launched a campaign called “one degree less” to get more than 95% of the country’s households to save energy. The campaign promotes the use of stairs instead of elevators, and the use of bicycles or public transport to go to work.
Governments, themselves huge energy users, are reducing heating, restricting the use of street lighting and closing municipal swimming pools. In France, where the state operates a third of all buildings, the government plans to reduce energy use by two terawatt hours, the amount of energy used by a medium-sized city.
Following awareness campaigns, energy use did indeed drop in several countries in September, although it is difficult to know for sure whether the cause was mild weather, high prices, or voluntary savings efforts inspired by a sense of duty. civic. But there are signs that companies, organizations and the public are responding.
Determining whether these efforts will succeed, however, is difficult, said Daniel Gros, director of the European Center for the Study of Public Policy, a Brussels-based research organization. As the recommendations are voluntary, there may be little incentive for people to adopt them — especially if the government intends to subsidize energy bills.
Russian independence
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s tactic of using energy as a weapon against countries that support Ukraine has caused a surprising transformation in the way Europe generates and saves energy. Countries are banding together to buy, borrow and build additional sources, and are racing to implement massive savings programs reminiscent of the response to the 1970s oil crisis.
Underground storage sites across the continent have full stocks of emergency natural gas. Nuclear power plants that were supposed to be closed in Germany will remain open. From France to Sweden, thermostats are being turned down to a temperature of just 19 degrees Celsius. Slovakia is running a campaign to convince its citizens to limit their showers to two minutes.
As the month of November approaches, Europe’s widespread effort makes some analysts more hopeful than they did a few months ago that the region could reach spring without rationing or blackouts as it works to accelerate its energy independence.
The measures European countries are taking “are remarkable and are likely to really transform the energy landscape,” said Simone Tagliapietra, a senior researcher at the Bruegel Institute, a Brussels-based research organization.
“Europe will be able to completely dissociate itself from Russia, something that was previously seen as impossible.”
Still, the turnaround comes at a high cost, and energy security could be affected in the coming months.
While Europe has adjusted to severe gas export cuts from Russia – which now supplies less than 10% of natural gas, up from 45% of Europe’s pre-war supply – fuel prices remain historically high, forcing shutdowns in operations. that require intensive use of energy, including the production of steel, chemicals and glass.
If the small flow of Russian gas that the region still receives is cut off, several countries will face a difficult situation.
Companies are laying off workers. Governments are issuing more debt to protect households and businesses. There are increasing projections that the energy crisis will drive Europe into recession next year.
Some Europeans may decide that they are not so willing to make sacrifices for Ukraine after all, as energy bills are soaring. Street protests against rising cost of living erupted in Paris, Prague and elsewhere, shaking the united front Europe had been holding on sanctions against Russia.
increasing supply
The work being done to increase energy supplies — securing liquefied natural gas contracts, prolonging the use of nuclear reactors and restarting coal-fired power plants — is an important step in ensuring Europe’s power grids stay connected.
Russia’s sudden independence includes agreements to build gas pipelines, prospect for natural gas in European territory and build more platforms to receive shipments of natural gas from distant sources.
While the share of renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels is growing in the region, natural gas still powers most homes and businesses, so a steady supply is vital.
A coordinated effort, since the second quarter, has helped European countries to fill up their gas reserves – in volume enough to supply about three months of energy – despite the decrease in Russian flows. The unusually hot weather in Europe is delaying the need for heating, so the stock may last longer than expected.
Consulting group Rystad Energy has calculated that Europe has enough gas in storage to survive this winter unless it is very cold, and natural gas prices have fallen to their lowest levels since June.
“The risk of blackouts or major gas shortages is, for now, a very remote prospect,” added Tagliapietra.
But other problems can arise. Europe could face an even harsher winter next year as natural gas inventories are depleted and new supplies contracted to replace Russian gas, which include increased shipments from the United States or Qatar, take time to arrive, announced the IEA (International Energy Agency) in the annual World Energy Outlook, published last week.
Europe’s activity appears to be accelerating the global transition to cleaner technologies, the IEA added, as countries are responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine through the adoption of hydrogen fuels, electric vehicles, heat pumps and other forms of energy. green.
But in the short term, the region will have to burn more fossil fuels in response to the shortage of natural gas.
Countries like Denmark, the United Kingdom and Hungary are also looking for more natural gas in their territories, despite opposition from environmental groups. The Netherlands decided to postpone the closure of its huge gas fields in Groningen, which were about to be closed due to earthquakes caused by the extraction of the fuel.
Eleven countries, including Germany, Finland and Estonia, are now building or expanding a total of 18 offshore terminals to process liquefied gas shipped from other countries. Other projects are being considered, in Latvia and Lithuania.
Nuclear power is gaining renewed support in countries that had previously decided to abandon it, including Germany and Belgium. Finland is planning to extend the life of a reactor, while Poland and Romania are planning to build new nuclear power plants.
Translation by Paulo Migliacci
Chad-98Weaver, a distinguished author at NewsBulletin247, excels in the craft of article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a penchant for storytelling, Chad delivers informative and engaging content that resonates with readers across various subjects. His contributions are a testament to his dedication and expertise in the field of journalism.
