Germany has decided to fast-track the commissioning of two liquefied natural gas receiving terminals in a bid to reduce dependence on certain energy producers, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday during an extraordinary session of the Bundestag on February 27, 2022, on Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

“We are going to change course to overcome the dependence on imports from individual energy suppliers… The sooner we build the renewable energy infrastructure, the better. We are on the right track, we want and we will become the first climate-neutral industrial country by 2045,” Scholz told the Bundestag.

“We have decided to quickly build terminals to receive liquefied natural gas in Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven,” the Chancellor said. He also confirmed that the country would increase the amount of natural gas stored via long-term options to two billion cubic metres.

In addition, Germany will purchase additional natural gas on world markets – in consultation with the European Union.

He warned that prices for consumers could rise, but assured that the government would take the necessary measures to support citizens.

Last week, Scholz said he had asked the country’s economy ministry to take “necessary administrative action” to suspend the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline operator, meaning the withdrawal of the report from the department on energy security on the agency’s Nord Stream 2. The document served as the basis for the German regulator – the Federal Network Agency to conduct the project certification process. The certification process was frozen on Tuesday.

Nord Stream 2 is designed to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. (Photo: LTeW)