German energy representative demands from residents to save gas

(MENAFN) Germany’s Federal Network Agency has urged citizens and businesses to conserve gas in order to prevent potential shortages, following a significant increase in consumption this heating season. The agency reported that gas usage from October to December 2024 rose by 5.8% compared to the same period last year, with industrial consumption up by 9.1%, while households and businesses saw a smaller increase of 1.9%. The rise in consumption is attributed to colder weather.

Despite this surge, Klaus Muller, head of the energy regulator, reassured the public that the country’s gas supply is still stable, with storage facilities 80% full. He encouraged frugality to avoid rising prices but emphasized that Germany is well-prepared for the coming months.

Natural gas remains a critical energy source for heating in Germany, with roughly half of all homes relying on it. The country previously depended on Russia for more than half of its gas supplies, but this changed after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, leading to sanctions and the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines. The loss of Russian gas, coupled with a shift to more expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US, has contributed to a recession and rising energy costs in Germany.

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