At the beginning of December it is comparatively cold in Germany. The gas consumption is correspondingly higher. But even when adjusted for temperature, the savings efforts this season have been more successful, as data from the Federal Network Agency shows.
Germany must save gas - at least 20 percent of the previous year's consumption. According to the plans of the Federal Network Agency, a shortage should be prevented during the winter. In the past week, however, this savings target was clearly missed. This emerges from the authority's consumption data, which are always published on Thursdays.
Accordingly, gas consumption in industry, commerce and households in calendar week 48 (November 28 to December 4) was only around 13 percent below the average consumption of the past four years. In particular, there was an increase compared to the previous week (21 percent) among large customers from industry. Households and businesses have only moderately increased their consumption by a good 7 percent since the previous week.
Note: You can use the drop-down menu above the graphic to change the view and view consumption by industry and households separately.
Part of the additional consumption can be explained by falling temperatures. Compared to the reference years 2018 to 2021, the weekly average was 0.7 degrees Celsius colder.
But even adjusted for temperature, the savings fall short of expectations. For this purpose, the current consumption data is compared with the empirical values of previous years under similar weather conditions. The result: instead of the targeted 25 percent, only 16.5 percent less gas was used in the past week than in the reference period.
This week, the Federal Network Agency is assuming an even clearer temperature difference of more than 2 degrees Celsius below the average of previous years. "Therefore, a significant increase in consumption is to be expected," says the authority's current management report.
The gas supply is still considered stable. The storages are still well filled - even if the majority of storage is now being used. There is only cause for concern if the gas storage tanks are emptied faster than expected. If, for example, the fill level is less than 70 percent at the turn of the year, the indicator for the gas storage tank fill level changes to "tense" according to the definition of the Federal Network Agency. Less than 61 percent are classified as "critical".
