Proposes to temporarily increase coal and oil generation, temporarily abandoning concerns about emissions
The European Union (EU) finds itself in an “incredibly precarious” situation in light of Russia’s possible threat of a total shutdown of gas supplies for the coming winter, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has urged 27 to to give more gas. gas storage by reducing demand from businesses and homes, temporarily increasing the use of coal and oil for electricity generation, in addition to nuclear power.
“We’ve seen some progress, especially in the diversification of gas supplies, but not enough, especially on the demand side, to prevent Europe from finding itself in an incredibly precarious situation today,” said the AIE’s executive director, the AIE. Turkish Fatih. Birol, for whom Russia’s latest steps to further reduce natural gas flows to Europe are a common thread for the EU.
“As we get closer to next winter, we have a clearer picture of what Russia can do next. The coming months will be crucial,” he warned.
In this sense, the director of the IEA has emphasized that if Russia maintains a certain level of supplies in the summer, it is still possible to reach the storage level of 90%, although Europe must act immediately and first reduce its current gas consumption and save the stored gas.
According to a new IEA analysis, the additional gas savings over the next three months are on the order of 12 billion cubic meters, enough to fill some 130 LNG tankers.
In this regard, Birol has proposed the introduction of auction platforms to encourage industrial gas users in the EU to reduce demand and minimize the use of gas in the electricity sector through a temporary increase in electricity generation. deployment of low-carbon sources, including nuclear energy, where politically acceptable and technically feasible.
Furthermore, the Director of the IEA has proposed to improve coordination between gas and electricity companies across Europe, including peak shielding mechanisms, to help reduce the impact of lower gas consumption on energy systems, and to reduce household electricity demand through cooling standards to establish and checks.
“Government and public buildings should lead the way in setting an example in this, while campaigns should drive behavioral changes among consumers,” he said.
Finally, the Turk called for harmonization of emergency planning across the EU at national and European level, which should include supply reduction measures and solidarity mechanisms, as to overcome the current crisis, “the EU needs a united action has.
“If these kinds of measures are not implemented now, Europe will be in an extremely vulnerable position and could face much more drastic cuts and restrictions in the future,” he warned.
However, Birol has warned that it would be unwise to rule out the possibility of Russia deciding to give up revenues from gas exports to Europe to gain political leverage, as Russia has already taken advantage of the current energy crisis to generate huge amounts of money. , since since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, the money raised by oil and gas exports to Europe has doubled compared to the average of recent years, to $ 95,000 million (€ 94,165 million).
“If Russia decides to cut off gas supplies completely before Europe can raise its storage levels to 90%, the situation will become even more serious and challenging,” he acknowledged, warning of the potential risk that would arise from a disjointed response and destabilizing
“Today, Europe must do everything possible to reduce the risk of major gas shortages and rationing, especially during the coming winter,” he stressed as he awaited the European Commission’s measures this week.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
