France: Europe has solutions to become independent of Russian gas

Europe has solutions to become independent of Russian gas, French Economy Minister Bruno Lemerre said today, adding that he seeks to accelerate their implementation so that he can meet the challenge of winter 2022-2023.

Reaffirming that gas prices will remain “locked” for consumers in France, the Minister of Economy referred to a number of European solutions to deal with the “gas shock” associated with the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and its consequences in European economy.

“Independence is not at the same level in all European countries, France is 20% dependent on its supply of Russian gas, the European average is 40%, Germany is 55% and some countries are completely dependent (…) for Finland, for example, 100% of Russian gas comes from Russia “, the French minister reminded on the sidelines of his visit to the Air Liquide hydrogen plant in Normandy, adding that there is a need for a” collective European solution “to theme.

Among the solutions, Bruno Lemerre referred to the need to “accelerate gas storage in the summer”, “to fill 90% of the reserves to deal with the winter of 2022”.

“The challenge is not for now, it is for the winter 2022-2023”, he reminded.

“Second option: group markets, together, to build a front and achieve a lower tariff,” he said. “Third thing, the pursuit of diversification of supplies” with other producers.

Fourth solution: improving the operation of LNG terminals. “There are seven in Spain, four in France and unfortunately there is none in Germany. We can improve the operation of the terminals to make them more efficient,” he said.

In the face of the “gas shock”, Bruno Lemerre referred to the possibility of exploiting biomass and biogas, “alternatives produced in France that will allow us to become independent of Russian gas.”