Will Europe have to do without Russian gas this winter? The Gazprom group has already stopped deliveries to certain suppliers such as the French Engie. Many European countries that depend on these supplies are looking for alternatives to face the cold serenely. Example in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
Spain bets on the revival of a gas pipeline through the Pyrenees
For several months, the idea of relaunching the MidCat gas pipeline has been defended in Spain. The MidCat, for Midi-Pyrénées-Catalonia, a gas pipeline that would link Barcelona to Carcassonne, and abandoned in 2019. At the time, this project, estimated at three billion euros, was considered too expensive. Its impact on the environment was also singled out. Since then, the situation has changed with the war in Ukraine, and the Iberian Peninsula now wishes to emerge from its energy isolation. With this gas pipeline, Spain could bring Algerian gas back to northern Europe, but above all send liquefied natural gas. The country has one of the best infrastructures in Europe with six LNG ports, including the largest in Barcelona.
“Spain is absolutely obsessed with the MidCatconfirms Ignacio Cembrero journalist, specialist in energy issues. Spain has a large regasification capacity, but these plants are somewhat underutilized. It would therefore be the opportunity or never to make full use of it”. To make itself heard in Europe, Spain is conducting intense lobbying with Brussels. She won the support of European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The French government does not want this infrastructure even if it has not completely closed the door. Spain could also seek an alternative from Italy, with an undersea gas pipeline between Barcelona and Livorno.
Italy multiplies the sources supply
Italy is one of the European countries most dependent on Moscow. 95% of energy resources are imported there and 40% of its gas came from Russia before the start of the conflict. A real subjection which is a “mistake” and who is not “more tolerable” declared the President of the Council, Mario Draghi, at the start of the conflict in Ukraine. With his Minister of Foreign Affairs, they immediately embarked on a diplomatic tour in the spring to multiply and diversify the sources of supply. Contracts were been passed with Congo, Angola, Mozambique, Azerbaijan and Qatar, but especially with Algeria.The second supplier of Italy will dethrone Russia by increasing the current annual volume of two billion cubic meters. Enough to reduce dependence on Russian gas from 40 to 18%.The Minister for Ecological Transition, announces a “total independence of gas delivered by Moscow by 2024“.
This objective is achievable provided that Italy succeeds in completing the installation of two new floating LNG terminals as quickly as possible, which will enable it to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas, in particular from the United States. Currently, Italy exceeds 80% of its gas storage capacity and its objective is to reach 90% in October. In the meantime, the government prefers to speak of an energy saving plan rather than rationing. Lighting commercial signs after 11 p.m. will soon be prohibited, public lighting will be reduced by 40%. A vast campaign to sensitize public opinion to sobriety will also be launched.
The Netherlands revives coal, nuclear and a giant wind farm project
The Netherlands imported 15% of their gas needs from Russia, or 10% of their energy consumption. There is still some Russian gas left in the pipelines, but most of it is gone. The country’s main supplier was cut off by Gazprom in June. The hundred or so municipalities that had contracts with Gazprom are supposed to give them up before October 10, under European sanctions, but they cannot find alternative suppliers. Measures were therefore taken in the spring.
First, it was decided to relaunch the exploitation of the gas field which is located in the north of the kingdom in Groningen, and whose end of exploitation was scheduled for this summer. A few years ago, it represented 20% of the European Union’s own production. Equally controversial, the decision to relaunch coal-fired power stations which were prohibited from operating at more than 35% of their capacity.
In the longer term, the Dutch have chosen to develop three axes: the revival of nuclear power with the transition from one to three power stations, a new gas exploitation off the Wadden Sea and a project for a giant wind farm at sea with the Denmark and Germany to make it the “green powerhouse of europe“.