The energy crisis in Germany may be repeated next winter

German official expected that the energy crisis in Germany would recur during the coming winter 2023-2024, if it was cold as expected.

The head of the Energy Regulatory Authority, Klaus Mueller, said that the country’s energy needs during this winter were sufficient, and the gas savings from companies and homes were greater, thanks to the warm winter.

According to Mueller, there may be risks in the coming winter, in statements to the local Rhenische Post newspaper.

The owner of the largest European economy has overcome the energy crisis in Germany, which was expected, due to Russia stopping most of gas exports to Berlin, during the past months, according to what was seen by the specialized energy platform.

Germany was a heavy consumer of Russian gas before Moscow invaded Kiev about a year ago, but imports witnessed a sharp decline until the end of 2022, with the continued imposition of sanctions and caps on oil prices and its derivatives.

The head of the Energy Regulatory Authority in Berlin, Klaus Mueller, said that the country’s energy market no longer needs emergency intervention this winter, as the chances of an exacerbation of the energy crisis in Germany decreased.

Mueller added, “It’s expected that the coming winter will be very cold, which means that the device may not be able to move away from emergency energy supplies, to provide homes and companies with their needs”.

The energy crisis escalated in Germany, as part of a crisis in Europe as a whole, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and gas prices rose to record levels, but the warm winter contributed to a decline in prices to pre-war levels.

Natural gas prices in the European market recorded a decline, according to data from the TTF Center in the Netherlands, during the fourth quarter of 2022, to about $29 per million BTUs.

These prices come at $58.6 per million thermal units in the previous quarter (the third quarter), due to the warmth of winter, compared to previous years, according to what was seen by the specialized energy platform.

The possibility of a recurrence of the energy crisis in Germany during the coming winter is escalating, especially with the forecast of severe cold weather, which may lead to the incomplete construction of new liquefied gas stations, and its neighbors asking European countries to support their supplies, which leads to more pressure on Berlin.

Germany had taken several steps in 2022 to avoid an energy crisis in the country due to the acute shortage of Russian gas imports, including the establishment of liquefied gas stations, according to data viewed by the specialized energy platform.

The German parliament, the Bundestag, approved a plan submitted by the government to establish a number of floating liquefied gas stations during the period from 2022 to 2038, at a value of 9.8 billion Euros ($10.3 billion).

The energy crisis didn’t occur in Germany this winter thanks to the warm weather and the high level of stocks at 63.89%, which is higher than the critical levels it had reached after the start of the war in Ukraine.

The demand for gas from companies and homes is still lower, according to information obtained by the specialized energy platform.

The head of the German Energy Regulatory Authority, Klaus Mueller, said: The biggest danger that may cause an energy crisis next winter is the weather, which we cannot count on that it will be warm.

He added, “Once the cold waves begin, the demand for natural gas will increase from companies and homes… Last October, we saved 20%, while natural gas savings in December didn’t exceed 7% due to the cold wave at this time.”

Reports revealed that the growing global demand for liquefied gas was led by the unprecedented demand on the part of the European market, which recorded during 2022 about 125.9 million tons, compared to 75 million tons in 2021, with an unusual growth rate of 66%.