EU could replace Russian gas within a year - report
22:49
According to Brussels based think-tank Breugel, the EU could replace all of the gas it receives from the EU within the year. “It would be a significant challenge, but not impossible,” the report wrote.
EU imported 130 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia in 2013, with some significant changes in its energy policy, such volume could be replaced by gas from other sources.
Breugel proposes increasing gas imports from North Africa and Norway, using and importing more LNG, switching energy consumption for natural gas to other fuels are a number of solutions the think-tank proposes. EU countries, especially the Netherlands could also increase their own production of gas.
The report also proposes storing some of the EU gas in the west-Ukrainian storages during summer when the fuel consumption in lower than during the winter months.
Last, but not least, EU could reduce its gas consumption.
All of these scenarios are however very expensive in its implementation and would require substantial engineering, legal and commercial preparation.
Energy Union
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pushing for the development of an energy union in the EU.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Tusk said that even though the idea of an energy union has got the backing of European Council President Herman van Rompuy, Chancellor Merkel believes such a proposition “would be a complicated process.”
PM Tusk underlined that even though there are hurdles to be crossed in creating such a union, the process should be quick. “In June we will have the first propositions of the European Commission on how to achieve an energy union,” he said.
The move comes as European leaders last week called upon the European Commission to present a complex proposal to lower the EU’s dependence on imported energy after Russia decided to annex Crimea.
PM Tusk believes that a common EU negotiating strategy on gas purchases would be the best and most efficient way of helping Europe become free of any Russian influence on gas deliveries to the 28-nation bloc.
