Germany appears well-prepared for the upcoming winter gas supply, according to Timm Kehler, Managing Director of the German Gas and Hydrogen Association.
Current storage levels already stand at 68 percent, Kehler stated Friday, noting significant filling activity in recent days has contributed to the positive position. He added that perspectives for further injections remain favorable due to mild temperatures and lower gas prices.
Kehler anticipates that the legally mandated target of 70 percent storage capacity by early November will be comfortably achieved and potentially exceeded. He characterized this level as sufficient to address potential contingencies, such as colder-than-expected weather.
Compared to the crisis year of 2022, Germany is now significantly better equipped due to new import infrastructure. Kehler also assessed the international supply situation as stable, highlighting the United States as the country’s primary supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Norway continues to play a crucial role, securing over 30 percent of Germany’s gas supply.
Looking ahead, Kehler expects a gradual phasing out of Russian gas deliveries to the European market as a result of sanctions. He believes that the United States and other players in the global LNG market will fill the resulting gap with available and flexible capacities, preventing the emergence of a new unilateral dependency.
He also emphasized the importance of a pan-European perspective on gas supply, stating that focusing solely on the German market is too narrow given the interconnected European gas network. LNG deliveries arrive not only at German ports but also through facilities in Belgium and the Netherlands. With regard to the role of the United States, Kehler noted that as long as no single actor controls more than 30 percent of the market share, there is no risk of problematic dependencies.