“Germany will get rid of Russia’s oil by the end of this year”

Germany is no longer fully independent of Russia in terms of its energy supply, but important steps will be taken this year. “Every day, even every hour, we say goodbye a little more to imports from Russia,” Habeck told Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

In the case of gas, he says, it’s a bit more complicated, because Germany doesn’t have its own terminal where liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be brought ashore.

liquefied natural gas and hydrogen

It was announced last week that Gasunie, along with the German government and German energy group RWE, will build a liquefied natural gas terminal in Brunsbüttel, north of Hamburg on the North Sea. Eventually, hydrogen can also be transported there.

Habeck said he would travel to countries that produce liquefied natural gas and hydrogen in time to secure supplies.

Rely on Russia

At present, about 55 percent of the gas that Germany imports comes from Russia. Moreover, about 50 percent of coal still comes from there and about 35 percent is crude oil.

An immediate boycott of Russian energy is not a good idea, says Habek, because it would not be possible.

The European Commission wants to take far-reaching steps towards greater energy independence from Russia. This year, two-thirds of Russian gas should be imported less. Instead, the European Commission is looking for other gas suppliers, for example LNG from the United States.

bio methane

But Europe is also looking for other sources of energy. Roofs full of solar panels and gardens full of windmills for example. and bio-methane, a type of gas that must be produced in agriculture.