Source: Energy & Management Powernews, March 21, 2022
The Federal Network Agency is making preparations in the event of a Russian natural gas embargo. It is reportedly holding talks with the industry.
Who will continue to be supplied if gas becomes scarce is out of the question. Household customers and social institutions protect the legislator particularly, they are supplied in the case of crisis with priority. Inevitably, it would hit industrial companies. If the Russian government were to cut off gas supplies to Germany, the Federal Network Agency would have no choice but to curtail or suspend gas supplies to a large part of industry. The question at hand: Which would it hit?
It is precisely about this that the Federal Network Agency is now apparently talking to the industry. As various media report, representatives of the authority and the Ministry of Economics have met with representatives of the Federation of German Industries and the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) on Friday, March 18. Individual companies are also said to have been represented at the meeting. It was not possible to find out what was discussed in detail. It is however already to have gone around which companies are disconnected if necessary as first from the gas net
Who can save most likely?
As a recent study by BDEW shows, industry would be massively affected by an embargo. According to the study, the short-term savings and substitution potential for natural gas is just 8%. The largest consumption sector, chemicals, would only achieve 4%. "The chemical industry occupies a special position among the natural gas-intensive industries, since natural gas is not only used to generate process heat, but is also used to a considerable extent as a raw material," it says.
The BDEW economists see somewhat greater potential that can be tapped in the short to medium term in the food industry and in metal production, each with around 13%. "In industries where natural gas tends to be used for low-temperature processes such as space heating and hot water, there tends to be higher savings potential. However, these industries have lower absolute consumption, which correspondingly reduces the quantitative savings potential," the experts point out.
Author: Manfred Fischer
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