German natural gas and hydrogen storage operators are expressing confidence regarding winter preparedness. The industry initiative, Energien Speichern (Ines), announced on Tuesday that currently booked storage capacities suggest a potential for near-full storage levels – up to 81 percent – by November 1st.
This level, according to Ines, would provide a secure gas supply under typical to moderately warm weather conditions.
Germany entered the new storage year on April 29th with a comparatively low fill level of 29 percent. Since then, significant progress has been made in filling the storage facilities, currently standing at 75 percent. Initial projections in July anticipated a maximum fill level of 70 percent; the updated bookings now indicate a potential for 81 percent utilization.
Despite this positive trend, storage operators emphasize that current scenario analyses continue to highlight potential risks under prolonged periods of extremely cold temperatures. These risks are attributed to a demonstrably higher gas consumption rate observed over the past two months. Furthermore, the slower pace of storage facility filling in other European countries is diminishing the positive impact of Germany’s increased storage levels.