Alternative to Russia gas
Biden is negotiating with Qatar over LNG for the EU
01/31/2022, 06:17 p.m
The Ukraine conflict sparks fears about gas supplies in Europe. The US is already considering alternatives. President Biden is now speaking to the Emir of Qatar. He could deliver liquefied natural gas to the EU – but also has conditions.
In the Ukraine crisis, the USA and Qatar are looking for alternatives to gas supplies from Russia to Europe. Energy supply is one of the topics at a meeting between US President Joe Biden and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, scheduled for Monday in Washington. Qatar is the world’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and could divert the gas to Europe should tensions between the West and Russia cause supply shortages.
The emirate has already discussed gas supplies with the European Union. Qatar is demanding that the EU ban the resale of LNG gas if Europe wants emergency supplies, a person entrusted with the negotiations told Archyde.com. In addition, the EU should give up its reservations about long-term contracts for LNG gas.
The EU sees free trade in gas as a means of preserving energy security. However, some producers and consumers criticize that this policy has led to an increase in prices.
Scholz agreed to invest billions in the United States
Efforts are also being made in Germany to build up LNG capacities in order to be able to land more liquid gas. Chancellor Olaf Scholz supports plans to build “one or more” terminals for liquid gas, said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Economics and Climate said that the LNG terminals in Europe are currently 71 percent utilized. The reason for this is the general increase in gas prices, which is making LNG gas, which used to be more expensive, more competitive.
As Federal Finance Minister at the time, Scholz had promised the USA under former President Donald Trump the investment of one billion dollars in LNG technology if the US government dropped its sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline. In recent years, the USA has become one of the most important LNG producers and sells its gas in Europe.
In a Archyde.com interview, RWE boss Markus Krebber had previously called on the federal government to hurry up for new gas-fired power plants and campaigned for the construction of a terminal for unloading tankers with liquefied natural gas in Brunsbüttel, Schleswig-Holstein, which had been planned for several years. The plans are well advanced. “But we need a clear signal from politicians that says we need this terminal.”