Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, the EU has been trying to become independent of Russian energy imports.

The member countries were able to quickly agree on an import ban for Russian coal.

There is now also an oil embargo – at least in part.

Initially, oil deliveries from Russia by sea should be banned.

When it comes to natural gas supplies, however, things are much more difficult.

In the past, the entire EU and above all countries like Germany obtained their natural gas mainly from Russia.

Now there are alternatives.

In the long term, this works best with renewable energies and the renunciation of fossil natural gas.

In the short to medium term, however, this must continue to be obtained - albeit from sources other than Russia.

For the federal government, the solution seems to be LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), i.e. liquid gas.

In this way, Germany can get the gas from countries like the United States, Qatar or Australia.

So far, however, the corresponding infrastructure that would have made it possible to regasify liquid natural gas from LNG tankers was missing in this country.

LNG is supposed to solve Germany's energy problems

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the construction of two terminals for liquefied natural gas in the Bundestag a few weeks ago.

The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the Dutch company Gasunie and the DAX group RWE have already signed a declaration of intent for the construction of a terminal for the import of LNG for the terminal planned in Brunsbüttel.

Construction is scheduled to start next year in 2023, while commissioning is scheduled for the end of 2026.

In the meantime, RWE and Uniper are each to operate two floating liquid gas terminals.

For this purpose, RWE has chartered two Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRU) on behalf of the German government.

Where the corresponding gas is to come from is already partially clear.

RWE has reached an agreement with Sempra Infrastructure for future deliveries of liquid gas.

This is said to come from the Texan LNG project Port Arthur.

The agreement provides for final negotiations and the conclusion of a supply and purchase agreement with a term of 15 years and a volume of around 2.25 million tons of LNG per year.

RWE undergoes radical change

While RWE is currently helping to make Germany more independent of Russian gas supplies, the plants that have now been set up in the LNG sector are also intended to be used for handling green hydrogen and in this way advance the energy transition.

It is interesting that the old utility and coal group RWE is now involved in the energy transition in a different way.

The company itself is also undergoing a radical transformation.

The German energy market was reorganized with the former competitor E.ON.

RWE has taken on the role of energy producer.

This is (still) happening with coal, gas, but also renewable energies such as offshore and onshore wind, solar, hydropower, hydrogen or biomass.

While RWE is phasing out nuclear energy and coal in the long term following political decisions, renewable energies are becoming increasingly important.