A few days ago, the dispute over the Nord Stream Baltic sea pipeline 2 escalated in Brussels almost. Now the economy Minister Altmaier announces, to want to Import U.S. liquefied natural gas to significantly expand. Coincidence?
Who talks these days about natural gas, talking about the big geopolitics. It was also felt that as a business Minister, Peter Altmaier (CDU), met on Tuesday with Deputy U.S. Secretary of energy, Dan Brouillette, together. Surrounded by representatives of the gas industry announced Altmaier, the Import of liquefied natural gas from the United States to significantly increase. Germany’s energy supply should be diverse, called on the Minister: “with regard to the energy supply, Europe cannot be blackmailed, whether of enemies or friends.”
The U.S. representative praised his country as an anchor of Stability for the security of energy supply in Europe. “We are ready to supply Germany with natural gas at fair prices, transparent and reliably produced,” said Brouillette. Even today, the United States supply in ten European countries – and Germany will follow soon. “The question is not whether, but when.” The liquefied natural gas, “liquefied natural gas” or LNG could be for the Germans a tool to reduce the dependence on Russian energy imports, said the U.S. representative, without on the recent transatlantic dispute around the Baltic sea pipeline North Stream 2.
Two, who want to pacify with natural gas the TRANS-Atlantic trade war: the US Deputy Secretary of energy Brouillette (left) and economy Minister Altmaier
Germany is now a wealth of Resources that the USA wants to earn
Last week, the U.S. Ambassador in Germany, Richard Grenell had fulminated, in a guest post for the DW violently against the Baltic sea Pipeline. Two other U.S. ambassadors in Europe had attached themselves to his argument that Germany should not make itself dependent on Russian Gas. The US government and the US Congress have repeatedly threatened sanctions against German companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 project. Whether these sanctions, The US did not want to comment on the Deputy US energy Secretary: “concerns against the project are not based on economic interests, but geopolitical Considerations”. Peter Altmaier showed by these geopolitical Considerations, totally unimpressed and stressed: “we are very relaxed, because we believe that we can handle these issues very well and decide.” Nevertheless, it is true, Altmaier, in the case of increasing natural gas new sources of supply need to locate.
So far, the US is liquid natural gas due to high transportation and processing costs are not competitive compared to Gas that flows through Pipelines from Russia, Norway or the Netherlands to Germany. In addition, environmentalists say that by means of Fracking-produced American natural gas is an extremely poor environmental and climate balance. US President, Donald Trump is not afraid of. He wants to expand the business with the liquefied Gas, and Europe is seen as a growth market. It’s hardly surprising that he, too, lay down, publicly on several occasions against the Nord Stream Baltic sea Pipeline 2. North Stream 2 has to supply after its completion in the year 2020 in continental Europe with additional Gas from Russia.
Bone of contention: the construction of The is to transport the underwater North Stream pipeline 2, the natural gas from Russia to Germany
The U.S. government is pushing for construction of new LNG Terminals in Germany
Kirsten Westphal of the Berlin think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und politik, the vortex is not surprising to Gas supplies. The energy market natural gas is now a more important role than oil, says Westphal, in an interview with Germany radio. And also in Germany, the energy mix was changing rapidly, and, at least in the medium term, the winner is natural gas. Because natural gas is the most climate-friendly fossil energy carrier which is also flexible. Natural gas is used, therefore, the exit of Germany from the production of electricity with nuclear energy and coal cushion.
So far, the LNG Terminals, to the tankers on the ocean-transported liquefied petroleum gas landing. “At least” two Terminals, the German Minister of economic Affairs considers to be necessary. The construction is to be borne by private investors, but with government funding support. A decision where and when built, is expected by the Minister “in the next few weeks”. The US representative encouraged his German colleagues, to move from words to deeds.
Real LNG Terminals in Germany there is still no. A gas station in the German state of Brandenburg prepared, however, for the future.
Fracking Gas from the United States: climate of political insanity
Sharp criticism harvested Altmaiers plans of the Opposition. The Tenor: Germany does not need Fracking Gas from the United States. Klaus Ernst, the economic policy spokesman of the left party, was stunned that the German economy Minister, had not held against the “undue American interference” in Germany’s energy policy. But also ecological and economical cooperation with the USA in energy issues was madness. “This Gas is in comparison to conventionally pumped, via Pipeline transported Gas harmful to the climate, and more expensive,” says Ernst. The energy-policy spokesperson of the Greens in the Bundestag, Julia Verlinden, called on Altmaier to focus on “the actual challenges of the energy transition”. Tax dollars in LNG-sink terminal, where already existing LNG Terminals are not utilized in Europe by Far, which belong, however, to these main tasks, Verlinden. “LNG only extends the fossil age and torpedoed the fight against the climate crisis”.