BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s financial system minister stated Sunday that the nation will limit the use of natural gas for electrical energy manufacturing amid issues about attainable shortages attributable to a minimize in provides from Russia.
Economy Minister Robert Habeck stated that Germany will attempt to compensate for the transfer by rising the burning of coal, a extra polluting fossil gasoline.
“That’s bitter, but it’s simply necessary in this situation to lower gas usage,” stated Habeck, a member of the environmentalist Green celebration.
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Russian gas firm Gazprom introduced final week that it was sharply lowering provides via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline for technical causes, however which Habeck stated appeared to be politically motivated.
Germany, which has lengthy relied closely on vitality imports from Russia, started considerably scaling again its imports as a result of of the battle in Ukraine.
The authorities has however insisted that Russian gas shall be wanted for some time till different sources of vitality, resembling LNG introduced in by ship, can be found. Over the previous months the German authorities has taken measures to fill gas storage amenities to 90% capability by November to guarantee sufficient gas is on the market as a heating gasoline via the winter.
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Habeck stated storage amenities — at the moment at 56.7% capability — have been nonetheless in a position to make up the shortfall from Russia with purchases from elsewhere, however however described the scenario as “serious” and stated additional measures could also be vital.
The German authorities lately referred to as on residents to reduce their vitality use in mild of the tense provide scenario.
“It’s obvious that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s strategy is to unsettle us by driving up the price and dividing us,” Habeck stated. “We won’t let that happen.”