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🇩🇪 Germany /Energy & Infrastructure

German Gas Storage Operators Seek Incentives to Boost Reserves

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • German gas storage operators say current market conditions do not provide enough economic incentive to replenish reserves.
  • The Initiative Energien Speichern proposed abolishing certain levies and network charges and offering cheaper state-backed loans.
  • Economy Minister Katherina Reiche rejects state intervention, while the Greens have called for a crisis summit over storage levels.

Germany’s gas storage facilities are, on average, just over 53 percent full, and operators say the market is not offering enough reason to fill them further. The Initiative Energien Speichern, an association representing German gas and hydrogen storage operators, is calling for financial relief to increase reserves ahead of winter.

For a reliable gas supply in Germany, we need well-filled gas storage facilities in winter.

· Sebastian HeinermannThe head of the storage operators’ initiative argued for incentives to replenish reserves.

The group proposed abolishing the conversion levy and network charges at storage connection points. It also suggested cheaper state-backed loans to reduce the financing costs of gas bought for storage. Sebastian Heinermann, the initiative’s managing director, said reliable gas supplies in winter require well-filled facilities.

“Current market conditions do not provide sufficient economic incentives for filling gas storage facilities,” the initiative said. Heinermann called for avoidable costs to be cut and for targeted incentives to support additional storage. He said the market needed conditions that would prevent energy security from becoming “a matter of market chance.”

The current market conditions do not provide sufficient economic incentives for filling gas storage facilities.

· Initiative Energien SpeichernThe operators’ association explained why it wants lower charges and cheaper financing.

The storage levels have put Federal Economy Minister Katherina Reiche of the Christian Democratic Union under pressure. Her ministry sees no sign of a gas shortage this winter and points to Germany’s own liquefied natural gas import terminals, which allow the country to keep importing gas. It nevertheless acknowledges that prices could rise sharply during the winter.

The framework must prevent supply security from becoming a matter of market chance.

· Sebastian HeinermannHeinermann called for market rules that would support energy security.

The Greens have called for a crisis summit. Michael Kellner, the party’s energy policy spokesman in parliament, said the federal government was not doing its homework. He warned that empty storage facilities could leave Germany dangerously dependent on U.S. liquefied natural gas, adding that dependence on President Donald Trump was not a good idea.

The federal government is not doing its homework.

· Michael KellnerThe Greens’ energy policy spokesman criticized the government over storage levels.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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