Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) Germany has completed its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Wilhelmshaven in Lower Saxony on Tuesday.
The country is planning to build additional terminals in the coming period as part of its efforts aimed at moving away from Russian gas imports, according to Reuters reporting on Tuesday.
Olaf Lies, Minister for Environment, Energy, Building, and Climate Protection of Lower Saxony, noted “the new LNG landing place is a big step towards a secure energy supply.”
Robert Habeck, German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, announced the LNG terminal would start operating at the end of the year or start of 2023. He added that the terminal under construction in Brunsbüttel on the North Sea will start operating approximately at the same time.
German power utility Uniper operates the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), which will moor at the newly expanded pier in Wilhelmshaven and regasify LNG from LNG carriers.
Compatible with future plans
Christian Meyer, Lower Saxony’s Environment Minister, noted that port infrastructure can switch to hydrogen import in the future as part of the green push.
Germany is planning to wean itself off Russian gas by the summer of 2024 and launched LNG projects in May this year as part of the plan. Initial plans include construction of temporary, floating LNG terminals, which are to be replaced with permanent infrastructure in the coming period.
According to Refinitiv Eikon data, the Hoegh Esperanza FSRU is currently at a shipyard in France. Lower Saxony authorities pointed out that the ship is to arrive fully loaded in approximately one month and added that it will start regasifying imported LNG in January next year.
Habeck pointed out that the FSRU operated by power utility RWE is also to arrive at the end of the year or start of 2023 in Brunsbüttel, while LNG terminals in Stade and Lubmin are scheduled to start operating at the end of next year.According to German authorities, the six planned LNG terminals will be able to cover roughly one third of the country’s needs for natural gas if consumption does not exceed 2021 levels, when the country consumed just over 90 billion cubic metres of gas.
