We are working fast to find alternatives to Russian gas: Germany
New Delhi: Amid increasing demand for gas in Europe, the German Chancellor – Olaf Scholz – said he is working as fast as he can to extricate Germany from its dependence on Russian gas and pursue new energy supplies. Pressure mounts on Olaf Scholz’s government to come up with solutions to tackle a looming crisis.
On the first day of a three-day visit to Montreal, Scholz met Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, on Monday and said, “Canada plays a really, really central role in the development of green hydrogen. That’s why we are very glad to be able to expand our cooperation in this area on this occasion too.”
The two leaders are set to sign a deal for Canada to supply clean hydrogen to Germany, but Trudeau downplayed the likelihood of a separate agreement on direct exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), due to logistical constraints and costs.
“There are a number of potential projects that are in the books for which there has never been a strong business case,” Trudeau said. “It needs to make sense for Germany to import LNG from the east coast.”
Scholz thanked Canada for allowing the export – despite sanctions on Moscow – of a refurbished turbine that Russia said it needed to continue providing natural gas to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
The fact Russia has yet to request the needed turbine, which is currently in Germany, showed the Russian claims about technical issues hampering gas supplies to Russia were a ruse, he said.
“Russia is no longer a reliable business partner,” Scholz said. “It has reduced gas deliveries everywhere in Europe, always referring to technical reasons that never existed. And that’s why it’s important not to walk into [Russian president Vladimir] Putin’s trap.”
The visit is taking place amid a heated debate in Germany triggered by growing concerns that Russia may completely close down its already considerably reduced gas flows to the country.
The government faces pressure to prolong the life of Germany’s three remaining nuclear power stations, which are due to go offline by the end of the year as part of a withdrawal strategy announced in 2011.
In recent days there have even been calls for it to reinstate the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, which was mothballed by the German government as a reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In recent days there have even been calls for it to reinstate the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, which was mothballed by the German government as a reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
(Vinayak)
