Status: 03/25/2022 10:32 a.m
According to Economics Minister Habeck, Germany could halve Russian oil imports by the middle of the year. In the case of gas, it is possible to become “largely independent by mid-2024,” he said in Berlin.
Against the background of the Ukraine war, Germany is reducing its dependence on Russian energy imports “at a rapid pace,” according to Economics Minister Robert Habeck. By the middle of this year, “Russian oil imports to Germany will probably be halved,” said Habeck in Berlin. By the end of the year, the aim is to be “almost independent” of Russian oil.
The dependency on coal will also drop from 50 to around 25 percent in the coming weeks, Habeck said. By autumn it will be possible to become independent of Russian hard coal. “Companies let contracts with Russian suppliers expire, don’t renew them and switch to other suppliers. And at an incredible rate,” says Habeck.
Habeck: In the middle of 2024 largely independent in gas
With gas, the process takes a little longer. Habeck again emphasized that a complete embargo on Russian gas is currently not possible. “The economic and social consequences would still be too serious.”
Nevertheless, there is also progress with gas, but the process is “demanding”. However, it is possible to become “largely independent” from Russian gas “by mid-2024”. However, this is only possible with a strong expansion of renewable energies. Germany will only be able to say goodbye to Russian gas “with a joint effort – federal, state, local authorities, companies and private households together,” said Habeck.
For the gas supply, Habeck again promised that Germany could use special ships. Accordingly, the ministry planned three floating liquid gas terminals via the suppliers RWE and Uniper. The companies are currently in contract negotiations for three of these special ships, with which liquid gas can be taken from tankers and turned back into gaseous form. “The federal government is currently examining possible locations on the North and Baltic Seas where these can be used at short notice – in some cases as early as winter 2022/23,” the Federal Ministry of Economics said in a previous note.