Germany Completes Nuclear Shutdown Amidst Energy Shift to Fossil Fuels, LNG
Date
4/16/2023 7:48:19 AM
(MENAFN) Germany's government is set to finalize the shutdown of the country's remaining nuclear power plants this weekend, despite the loss of Russian natural gas due to the ongoing Ukraine crisis. The closure of the last three reactors, namely Emsland in northwest Germany and Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 in the south, will mark the completion of a phase-out of nuclear power that began in 2002 and was expedited following Japan's Fukushima disaster in 2011. The shutdown was originally scheduled for the end of last year but was extended to April 15, 2021, due to concerns of a potential winter energy crisis.
Germany's nuclear power industry once accounted for around 30 percent of the country's power supplies in the late 1990s. However, with all but three reactors closed, the remaining plants generated only 6% of German electricity last year. While the loss of nuclear power has left a significant void in Germany's energy supply, the country has turned to fossil fuels to fill the gap. With Russian gas imports cut off, output from coal-fired plants rose by 8 percent last year, accounting for over 31% of power supplies.
Moreover, in a bid to diversify its energy supply and reduce its reliance on Russian gas, Germany is ramping up its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), including cargoes from the United States. The country plans to increase its LNG import capacity more than fivefold by 2030, to nearly 71 million tons annually. While the shift towards fossil fuels and LNG may help Germany meet its energy needs, it also raises concerns about the country's carbon footprint and its ability to meet its emissions targets under the Paris Agreement.
MENAFN16042023000045014146ID1106020153
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.