The war in Ukraine and the associated tensions with the gas wholesaler Russia have provoked an energy crisis in Germany. See how inflows, gas storage and prices are currently doing.
Germany is highly dependent: Around 94 percent of the gas required in Germany comes from imports, as the research center Jülich lists in a fact sheet. Only a small part comes from domestic production and an almost infinitesimal part is biogas. And with more than 53 percent, most of the natural gas imports came from Russia, the next largest suppliers were Norway with around 38 percent and the Netherlands with almost nine percent.
The main gas consumers were industry, which required almost half of the gas, followed by households with just over 30 percent. The rest is accounted for by district heating and electricity supply, among other things. The disdainful figures show that a steady supply of gas is urgently needed to keep the country running and warm. However, this is currently endangered by the tensions with the main supplier Russia.
Pipelines: gas flows from Russia to Germany
The graphic below shows how much gas flowed to Germany through the pipelines Jamal (Mallnow), Megal (Waidhaus) and Lubmin near Greifswald (Nord Stream 1). By far the largest portion arrives at Greifswald via Nord Stream 1. There was a first big break when the operator Gazprom throttled the transmission for the first time in June. In the meantime, the flow has come to a complete standstill – officially because planned maintenance work on the pipeline has begun. However, there is great concern that this is just a pretext for the Kremlin and that gas could no longer flow even after the work has been completed.
In Waidhaus, Bavaria, too, there was almost no gas at all after severe throttling, as can be seen. At the Waidhaus transfer point, gas reaches Germany through the Ukraine, among other places. But there is also a north-south connection that brings gas from Nord Stream 1 to Bavaria. Now it is speculated that in the recent past only gas from Nord Stream 1 arrived in Waidhaus. The situation report of the Federal Network Agency said on Thursday: “Although alternative transport routes such as the Yamal pipeline (in Mallnow, editor’s note) or the Ukraine route (Waidhaus) are available, they are not used, to compensate for the quantities lost on Nord Stream 1”.
Gas storage: Levels in Germany
The two infographics below show how the gas storage levels are in Germany and Europe. According to the law, the storage facilities in this country should be 80 percent full on October 1st and 90 percent on November 1st. However, in mid-July Germany only achieved around two-thirds of the November target.
Gas storage levels in Europe
Gas, fuel, electricity: price development of energy products in Germany
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the price monitor above represents an example of the development of consumer prices for the energy products listed. It shows the percentage by which the prices in the respective month were higher or lower than the average for 2015.
Sources: DESTATIS, Federal Network Agency, Research Center Jülich
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