Consumers and companies are called upon to save energy. "Every contribution counts," said Economics Minister Habeck. Two ordinances make a number of steps binding. One of them comes into effect today.
Germany's companies and consumers should save energy. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, this makes a significant contribution to ensuring security of supply. To this end, the federal government has approved two regulations by department head Robert Habeck. "We are facing a national effort, and it requires strong interaction between the state, business and society, the federal, state, local authorities, social partners, trade unions, trade and associations as well as civil society. Every contribution counts," said the minister.
"According to the current status, Germany has to save around 20 percent gas in order to avert a gas shortage," it said in the draft regulations. So far it has been between five and eight percent, it said, citing figures from the Federal Network Agency.
A reduction in the room temperature in residential buildings and workplaces by an average of two degrees would reduce gas consumption by around three percent, it was said. In its ordinance - specifically in the short-term energy supply security measures ordinance (EnSikuMaV) - the ministry assumes that there will be around 15.5 million households nationwide with a natural gas connection and almost 3.2 million households with a district heating supply.
Among other things, the following are planned for consumers:
The following requirements should apply to the public sector:
Companies must observe the following rules
This catalog of individual measures comes into force on September 1st and is limited to six months - i.e. until February 28th.
According to the ministry, a second appointment includes measures that require more time to be implemented. But they also have an effect beyond the coming heating period. The ordinance is scheduled to come into force on October 1. The Bundesrat must first agree to this.
Public, private and corporate buildings
company
According to reports, the ministry expects industry and the residential/office sector to achieve five to ten percentage points of the savings target of 20 percent. About three to five points would be added by reduced gas power generation.
The regulation sees the ministry as one of four areas to ensure security of supply. This includes setting up an infrastructure for liquid gas deliveries (LNG terminals), filling gas storage facilities and maintaining the gas market.
Overall, according to Economics Minister Habeck, Germany is prepared for the winter. The gas tanks are now well filled. This gas is not withdrawn from the market, but is available in winter. The German storage is almost 85 percent full, tweeted the head of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller. In addition, there are new terminals for liquid gas and, thanks to Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and soon France, gas is flowing.
Russia has drastically reduced its deliveries to Europe in several steps. It claims technical reasons for doing so. In the end, only 20 percent of the previous amount reached Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. Experts see this as a reaction to the massive sanctions imposed as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Currently, delivery is completely suspended for three-day maintenance.
