Gas Alternatives for the EU

[Lafayette]

GAS CHOKEPOINT IN THE UKRAINE!

From The Economist, here: How will Europe cope if Russia cuts off its gas?

Excerpt:

The conventional wisdom used to be that a complete shutdown of piped gas from Russia, which makes up roughly a third of the gas burned in Europe, was unthinkable. Thane Gustafson, author of “Klimat”, a thoughtful book on Russian energy, observes that even at the height of the cold war, the Soviet Union did not shut off gas exports. And during Russia’s fiercest dispute over gas with Ukraine, in 2009, only the gas flowing through that country was disrupted, and then only fleetingly.

But a shutdown is no longer unthinkable. Mr Gustafson now says: “I don’t think it is unlikely at all that Putin would actually reach for the gas tap over Ukraine.” Unlike his Soviet predecessors, the Russian president can afford the cost of a brief energy shock. Jaime Concha of Energy Intelligence, an industry publisher, has crunched the numbers. Not counting any penalties and assuming the average daily price seen in the fourth quarter of 2021, he reckons a complete cut-off of piped gas to Europe would cost Gazprom between $203m and $228m a day in lost revenues.

It's time for Europe to Bite-the-bullet and do what it should have done long, long before it became dependent upon Russian gas or oil.

It's time to change the means of providing both heating and cooking energies to the EU-population as a whole. (Russia needs badly a lesson on the matter.)

Any supply of natural gas typically costing around $200M a day (in Europe) make it well worth considering other alternatives than Russia. And here is a key-factor when considering the necessity of an alternative energy-supplier:

Natural gas is used to heat about half of European households, and a big share of industry is powered by gas. Europe's gas consumption is as much as 10-fold the electricity consumption of the Nordic countries.

Perhaps this graphic will show how Europe's concentrated Russian gas passes by a country at war? From here: Factbox: What are Europe's options in case of Russian gas disruption?

Excerpt:

As the crisis between Russia and the West deepens on the borders of Ukraine, Europe and Russia’s long interdependence on one another for energy has become a critical bargaining piece on both sides.

Gas and oil-rich Russia is linked to European energy markets through a series of critical pipelines, the biggest flowing through Ukraine, which have become chokepoints for both sides in the negotiations to avert the growing crisis.

The Ukraine is a "choke-point" for Russian-gas supplies to Europe. SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

 

[joluoto]

There is Norway, they have some to offer, but not nearly as much as needed. Algeria also has gas, and is exporting, but again just doesn't have the capacities Russia have, and also are right now threatening their customers that they'll stop selling due to their conflict with Morocco. Iran sits on alot of natural gas, but Iran has always been troublesome. Turkmenistan likewise sits on alot of natural gas, but if we choose to ignore that they are a totalitarian hellhole, there is still the problem that their pipe infrastructure goes north, to Russia. And of course some of the oil giants in the Middle East also has natural gas to offer, which comes with the same problems as when you buy oil from these terrible regimes.

 

[RabidAlpaca]

Yeah it might hurt us for a little bit, but consider that these morons are also turning off their primary source of income for their economy. It's cutting off their own nose to spite their face. **** 'em. The Americans and Arabs will gladly fill the gap, the only question is how quickly can they do it.

Once the west moves away from Russian oil, it's going to be extremely difficult to get it back on it, even after this Ukraine mess is over. They're screwing themselves generationally.

 

[Emily L]

I'm mostly conservative, but I have to admit that this gas thing wouldn't be such an issue if the world had looked into solar energy or wind power a few decades ago.

I know it's easy for me to say that, but if we had done that, then Putin wouldn't now have a "supply of sunlight" or wind that he could threaten to cut off.

 

[Lafayette]

SUNPOWER

I'm mostly conservative, but I have to admit that this gas thing wouldn't be such an issue if the world had looked into solar energy or wind power a few decades ago.

I know it's easy for me to say that, but if we had done that, then Putin wouldn't now have a "supply of sunlight" or wind that he could threaten to cut off.

Good point!

It's high-time like none other to get the world OFF petroleum based products. And the alternative option stares the earth in its rotating face all day long!

The "sun" shines down free-energy daily 7-on-7. Such investments to optimize that output are being implemented in both the US and Europe. But they take up a lot of land-space upon which to install the solar-receptors. Which is suitable for the US but not that much for the EU, which is more population-dense than the US. Of course, it is an option that is as reliable as will be the sun itself.

What's happening in this valid alternative? Here's a list from here: The Five Countries that Produce the Most Solar Energy

• China leads the world as the top producer of solar energy, installing more than 30.1 GW of photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2019.
• The United States, India, Japan, and Vietnam rank next on the list of top solar producers.
• While China's PV market share was 27% for 2019, this is down significantly from 2017, when the nation's market share reached 51%.
• A record number of new countries are increasing their PV capacity, cutting into China's market dominance.

So, from the above we are assured that the right investments are being taken in some countries but not all. Time will tell us that the most advanced countries technologically will benefit quicker than the lesser kind.

But, only time will which countries "do" and which "do not" benefit from sunpower technology ...

 

[Lafayette]

DIVERSIFICATION OF GAS SUPPLIES IS POSSIBLE

I'm mostly conservative, but I have to admit that this gas thing wouldn't be such an issue if the world had looked into solar energy or wind power a few decades ago.

I know it's easy for me to say that, but if we had done that, then Putin wouldn't now have a "supply of sunlight" or wind that he could threaten to cut off.

You're quite right, and those responsible for such foolhardiness should be assuming the responsibility for the present mess. That is, it is NOT going to be easy to replace Putin's gas. (Blowhard that he is.)

So this headline become appropriate: What are Europe's energy alternatives now that Russian gas is off the cards?

Excerpt:

The European Union has spent the last few months imposing sanctions on Russia, from travel bans to asset freezes, alongside other western nations like the US and the UK. And while these impacted Russia more indirectly, many said the measures didn't go far enough - conveniently missing out one very important element - gas.

Now the EU has announced that it plans to slash Russian gas imports by two-thirds in response to the war in Ukraine. The aim is to significantly reduce reliance on Russian natural gas coming into the bloc by 2023. In the same week, US President Joe Biden imposed an immediate ban on Russian oil and other energy imports and the UK said it would phase out imports by the end of 2022.

"It’s hard, bloody hard, but it’s possible if we’re willing to go further and faster than we’ve done before," said Frans Timmermans, the vice-president in charge of the EU Green Deal.

There is only one thing ex-KGB Putin understands, and it is the BigStick. (Because he uses it to get his way so often.)

It will take time, but the EU has all summer and well into October before people start reheating their premises. The EU must find alternative gas-supply sources.

And, new LNG supplies from North America, Australia, Qatar, and East Africa are increasing the size of the global LNG market. More about these alternatives here: Diversification of gas supply sources and routes

Excerpt:

Many countries in Central and South East Europe are dependent on a single supplier for most or all of their natural gas. To help these countries diversify their supplies, the Southern Gas Corridor aims to expand infrastructure that can bring gas to the EU from the Caspian Basin, Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Eastern Mediterranean Basin.

 

[joluoto]

Honestly what every country should do is make a plan how to stop using fossil fuels altogether.

 

[Lafayette]

SCREW THE RUSSKIES

From here: Ukraine war - Russia halts gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria

Excerpt:

Russian energy giant Gazprom says it has halted gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria over the countries' refusal to pay for supplies in roubles.

The firm said services will not be restored until payments are made in the Russian currency. It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered "unfriendly" countries to pay for gas in roubles.

Poland confirmed supplies had stopped, but Bulgaria said it was still unclear whether supplies had been halted. Countries pay in advance for their gas, but as they have gone to pay for future supplies, Russia has stood firm on its demand made last month that new purchases need to be paid in roubles.

The threat, in which Mr Putin said "existing contracts will be stopped", has been seen as an attempt boost the rouble, which has been hit by Western sanctions. Nathan Piper, head of oil and gas research at Investec, told the BBC the halting of supplies to Poland and Bulgaria was the "start of Russia exerting economic pressure on Europe," and a move which could "escalate" with other EU nations.

Poland's deputy foreign minister said the country could cope without Gazprom's gas and had "taken some decisions many years ago to prepare for such a situation". Marcin Przdacz told the BBC there were "options to get the gas from other partners," including the US and gulf nations.

Where there's the will, there's the way. Where there's the brain that foresees the ill, there's a way to avoid the worst possible. Russia is far from the only provider of gas.

Especially when it comes to Russia that thinks it owns the Ukraine. Here"s just the top of the list of suppliers - the full set you find here:

From here:

Natural Gas Production by Country Search:

# Country - Yearly Gas Production (MMF*)
1 United States - 32,914,647,000
2 Russia - 22,728,734,000
3 Iran - 9,097,956,245
4 Canada - 6,751,698,275
5 Algeria - 6,491,744,560
6 Qatar - 6,000,936,690
7 Norway - 5,763,408,000
8 China - 4,559,625,595
9 Saudi Arabia - 4,231,796,450
10 United Arab Emirates - 3,178,738,465
*MMF - Million Cubic Feet

 

[Lafayette]

Honestly what every country should do is make a plan how to stop using fossil fuels altogether.

True. Very true.

But exceptionally difficult to do. Why?

Because the supply must come from ships mostly out of the Saudi Arabia peninsula. That means there must be ship-containers (no problem) to countries that have the means to stock arrived gas.

Not a big problem but it will require a substantial investment to provide the tanks and the means for distributing the gas.

And, no, I don't think countries can mount a means for building (for instance) atomic-generators of electricity. That investment is far more costly than simply continuing with gas. And atomic plants take time to build. Winter is coming again in 9 months.

But, frankly, I do believe atomic electricity-generators are the ultimate solution because the electricity is not "imported" (except for the atomic-piles) ...

 

[CaughtInThe]

we sit over here and bitch and complain from our sofas about gas being $3-$4 and Europe is gonna take one for the team. the HARD way.

South Carolina

$3.818