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“important today”
Germany without Russian gas: “It will be critical after six weeks”
From Thursday, gas is to flow again to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline – under certain conditions
© John MacDougall / AFP
After the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline was serviced for ten days, the Russian gas tap is supposed to start up again today – at least that is what Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin has promised. Prof. Dominik Möst is also counting on this, because Russia cannot simply divert its gas to China overnight.
There has been speculation for weeks: is Russian President Vladimir Putin now turning off the gas tap completely? On Wednesday, at least, the Kremlin boss gave the assurance that gas should flow back to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Thursday. However, Russia wants the turbine back, which is being repaired in Canada and is currently being held back because of Western sanctions.
The federal government, in turn, says: The turbine is an excuse, the gas can also flow like this. “important today” wants to know more about it and has Prof. Dominik Möst as a guest in episode 322. Möst is a professor of energy economics at the Technical University in Dresden and explains in the podcast how the system around the pipelines is structured – and why Russia cannot simply send all its gas to China or India overnight.
Professor of Energy Economics: “Every kilowatt hour of gas saved is helpful”
On Wednesday, the European Commission presented a plan in the event of a gas emergency that could force EU countries to save on gas. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen believes it is likely that Russia could stop gas supplies to the European Union: “Russia is blackmailing us, Russia is using energy as a weapon.”
Germany in particular is feeling the effects of this – dependency on Russian gas is particularly high here compared to other European countries. Prof. Dominik Möst finds clear words for emergencies: “How long we would last without Russian gas depends on how much we can save. Model calculations show that things get critical after six weeks.”
© TVNOW / Andreas Friese
Podcast “important today”
Sure, opinionated, on the 12: “today important” is not just a news podcast. We set topics and initiate debates – with attitude and sometimes uncomfortable. Host Michel Abdollahi and his team speak out for this star– and RTL reporters with the most exciting people from politics, society and entertainment. They let all voices have their say, both the quiet and the loud. Anyone who hears “important today” starts the day well informed and can have a well-founded say.
But while the EU is looking forward to Nord Stream 1, Putin would also have to forego income in the event of a gas freeze, explains Professor Möst. Russia is also dependent on Europe: “The Russian gas fields that deliver to Europe cannot simply deliver to China overnight. However, pipelines are already under construction there.”
Expansion of renewable energies: The traffic light is facing high goals
At the same time, energy economist Dominik Möst emphasizes that Germany has made enormous progress in the field of alternative energy sources over the past year. More than 40 percent of electricity is already supplied by renewable energies. However, the goal has not yet been reached, because by 2030, according to Möst, the traffic light coalition wants 80 percent of its electricity budget to come from renewable energies. It remains to be seen whether this goal will be achieved: “In the next ten years, we will have to triple what has been added each year in the last ten years.” This will not be an easy task.
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