How can Germany realistically replace gas?
As Germany scrambles to find a way to lower its reliance on Russian natural gas, the country has announced a move to the second phase — “alarm” level — of its three-stage emergency gas plan, possibly leading to higher prices for consumers. The third phase could involve gas rationing.
And the energy crisis could have even more severe consequences for industry and consumers come the fall months.
Possible solutions include purchasing from other sources, including liquefied gas; more frugal consumption and utilizing coal to a greater degree. At the same time, the neoliberal Free Democrats — the smallest party in Germany’s ruling coalition government — are calling for German nuclear power plants to run longer and for the ban on natural gas extraction through the process known as fracking to be lifted.
But which of these measures will actually help prevent an impending energy crisis — and what would the consequences be for the climate and the environment?
Related Knowledge Center: Energy security and pricing
The United States achieved net energy independence in 2020, but that has not insulated the nation from the roiling of energy markets in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Europe has been a large consumer of Russian natural gas, and the effort to wean itself, with the help of the United States, has strained markets and endangered global efforts to address the climate crisis.