Germany opens liquefied gas terminal on North Sea
Germany opens liquefied gas terminal on North Sea
Robert Besser
22 Dec 2022, 00:12 GMT+10
- As part of Germany’s efforts to find alternative energy sources after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was present at the opening of Germany’s first LNG terminal
- The ceremony in the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven was attended by the three leading officials in the German government, Scholz, Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner
- The new terminals aim to prevent an energy crisis that also forced the temporary reactivation of old oil and coal power stations, as well as extending the life of Germany’s last three nuclear power plants
BERLIN, Germany: As part of Germany’s efforts to find alternative energy sources after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was present at the opening of Germany’s first liquefied natural gas terminal.
The ceremony in the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven was attended by the three leading officials in the German government, Scholz, Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner.
The new terminals aim to prevent an energy crisis that also forced the temporary reactivation of old oil and coal power stations, as well as extending the life of Germany’s last three nuclear power plants.
Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Scholz announced that the first two LNG terminals would be built quickly.
“When we said that, for example, such a terminal should be built here in Wilhelmshaven this year already, many said that is never possible, that it would never succeed. And the opposite is true” noted Scholz during the ceremony.
Two more liquefied gas terminals are scheduled to begin operating this winter, and another three are expected to be available by the following winter, with a combined capacity of well over half the amount of Russian pipeline gas supplied last winter, Scholz said.
“This is now the new German speed with which we are moving infrastructure forward. This is a good day for our country and a good signal to the whole world that the German economy will be in a position to continue being strong, to produce and to deal with this challenge,” he added.
Germany exerted significant efforts to make itself independent of Russian gas before Moscow began reducing supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in mid-June, which was its main supply route.
However, the new gas terminals have been criticized by environmental groups, as well as the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, Tino Chrupalla, who argued that the Wilhelmshaven facility will not solve the energy crisis and called for the end of sanctions against Russia.
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