Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is intended to help free Germany from its dependence on Russian gas. So far, the infrastructure required for the import is missing. Therefore, the construction of floating and fixed LNG terminals should be accelerated.

The plans for accelerated construction of liquid gas terminals and possible expropriations of energy companies have passed the Federal Council. The state chamber approved both projects on Friday in Berlin.

In his speech before the vote, Federal Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck countered the impression that eastern Germany was suffering particularly from the consequences of the tensions in relations with Russia and the sanctions. These were not imposed “with West glasses”, said the Green politician. Rather, it is Germany’s eastern partner countries that are urging Russia’s war not to be successful.

Putin’s war of aggression is the reason for the changeover

Russian gas does come into the country via eastern Germany, said Habeck. But if there should be bottlenecks, then buyers in the south-west would have to worry because the gas would be used first where it arrived earlier. “In this situation, we must not succumb to the risk of losing sight of the big picture,” said Habeck. Solidarity is necessary. During talks in East Germany, he had the impression that “sometimes the categories slipped”. There are high energy prices and inflation, but this is not due to wrong policies in Germany but to Putin’s war of aggression.

The Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig (SPD), stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had destroyed long-standing economic cooperation with his brutal war of aggression. Dealing with the consequences and the changes in the energy supply are difficult. Regarding the planned LNG terminals, she said: We not only need them on the North Sea, we also need them on the Baltic Sea.” The Nord Stream 2 pipeline with the distribution station in Lubmin, which was originally put on hold, is to be used for LNG in the future. The port of Rostock must also be taken into account.

Terminal in Wilhelmshaven should be up and running before the end of the year

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is intended to help free Germany from its dependence on Russian gas. So far, the infrastructure required for the import is missing. Therefore, the construction of floating and fixed LNG terminals is to be accelerated by allowing the licensing authorities to temporarily omit certain procedural steps, especially in the environmental impact assessment. Environmental groups criticize that. The first floating LNG terminal is scheduled to go into operation in Wilhelmshaven before the end of the year.

The Federal Council also approved a reform of the 1975 Energy Security Act on Friday. This should make it easier for the state to access energy companies in the future if there are serious supply bottlenecks. If there is a “concrete risk” that a company will not fulfill its tasks and security of supply is threatened, the reformed law can temporarily place it under trusteeship. As a last resort, the possibility of expropriation is even created. Habeck said he hoped that the law would have to be applied “as sparingly as possible”.