{"id":366757,"date":"2025-02-18T11:07:11","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T10:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=366757"},"modified":"2025-02-18T11:07:13","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T10:07:13","slug":"europe-is-threatened-by-a-gas-emergency-empty-storage-facilities-and-exploding-prices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=366757","title":{"rendered":"Europe is threatened by a gas emergency \u2013 empty storage facilities and exploding prices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Blackout- News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

European gas storage facilities are emptying faster than expected. Traders are betting on rising prices, while the planned subsidy from Economics Minister Habeck is receiving sharp criticism. According to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe, storage facilities are currently only 49 percent full (as of February 8, 2025). By comparison, the filling level in the previous year was around 67 percent. Meanwhile, gas prices are reaching a level not seen for two years (berliner-zeitung: 10.02.25<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A gauge sits on pipework on top of a storage silo as construction work continues at the liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal, a unit of Electricite de France (EDF) SA, in Dunkirk, France, on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. The terminal, near the Belgian border, is poised to go into operation as LNG tankers head to Europe after demand waned elsewhere. Photographer: Jasper Juinen\/Bloomberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Traders are betting on price increases<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

European gas traders are speculating on a significant increase in gas prices by the summer. According to the Bloomberg news agency, prices could rise to 80 euros per megawatt hour. This trend has driven the shares of investment funds that rely on rising gas prices to almost a record high. Many retailers are now refraining from buying gas for the summer months. This carries the risk that the storage facilities for the coming winter could be insufficiently filled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
European gas stocks are falling faster than expected \u2013 storage facilities are only 49% full \u2013 traders expect prices to explode<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The EU had introduced fixed stock targets in 2022 to secure energy supplies. By November 1, the storage facilities in each member state must be at least 90 percent full. Normally, traders buy their gas cheaply in summer and sell it more expensively in winter. But the current price structure makes this model unprofitable. Higher summer prices ensure that retailers do not fill their storage facilities in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal requirements under pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Low temperatures in winter and so-called dark doldrums put an additional strain on the gas supply. In addition, there is the end of Ukraine transit, which further increases the pressure on the market. The reference price TTF, the most important indicator for European gas trading, is at its highest level in two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the tense situation, the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) is relaxed. A spokeswoman told the Berliner Zeitung that the gas supply in Germany remains stable. “The security of supply is guaranteed,” is the assessment. Nevertheless, economical use of gas remains crucial to avoid bottlenecks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subsidies exacerbate the problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another driver of the rising prices is the planned subsidy from Economics Minister Habeck. This is intended to compensate gas traders for the unprofitable business of summer filling. Trading Hub Europe (THE), market area manager in the German gas market, confirmed on request that a subsidy for storage is imminent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts are critical of the subsidy. James Waddell of Energy Aspects Ltd. warns that such measures could push summer prices further up. The American consulting firm Auxilione also sees risks. The subsidy would put an even greater burden on the so-called summer-winter spread \u2013 the price difference between summer and winter contracts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Europe is currently on a downward curve,” explains Francisco Blanch, commodity strategist at Bank of America. Retailers have little incentive to build up inventory. The legal requirements are also increasing prices, so that gas storage is becoming less attractive. Blanch only sees price volatility as a way to make a profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

European gas traders are speculating on a significant increase in gas prices by the summer. According to the Bloomberg news agency, prices could rise to 80 euros per megawatt hour. This trend has driven the shares of investment funds that rely on rising gas prices to almost a record high. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":366763,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691824361,691818561,691833101,691833370,691818051,691822945,691818299],"class_list":["post-366757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-economics-minister-habeck","tag-eu","tag-european-gas-storage","tag-federal-network-agency-bnetza","tag-germany","tag-price-increases","tag-subsidies","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0shutterstock_2168815557.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1xpr","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":288307,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=288307","url_meta":{"origin":366757,"position":0},"title":"Green Bloodbath:\u00a0Electricity prices in Germany three times higher than in the USA","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/21\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0\u201cIf renewables are so gosh-darn cheap, why does Germany now have the highest electricity prices in Europe?\u201d\u00a0 In fact, the average cost of electricity is nearly 30 cents per kilowatt hour, almost three times higher in Germany than it is in the United States. The price of electricity in Germany\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"CO2\"","block_context":{"text":"CO2","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=co2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/image-500.png?fit=1080%2C567&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/image-500.png?fit=1080%2C567&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/image-500.png?fit=1080%2C567&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/image-500.png?fit=1080%2C567&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/image-500.png?fit=1080%2C567&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":430227,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=430227","url_meta":{"origin":366757,"position":1},"title":"Energy Crisis Warning: UK Has Just Two Days of Gas While Iran Halts Global Flows","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/09\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"As of early March 2026, the UK faces heightened energy security concerns with natural gas storage reserves equivalent to roughly 1.5\u20132 days of typical national demand, sparking widespread fears of potential shortages or sharp price spikes if disruptions persist. This situation is exacerbated by the ongoing Iran conflict, which has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Energy Costs\"","block_context":{"text":"Energy Costs","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy-costs"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Energy-Crisis-Warning-UK-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-While-Iran-Halts-Global-Flows.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Energy-Crisis-Warning-UK-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-While-Iran-Halts-Global-Flows.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Energy-Crisis-Warning-UK-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-While-Iran-Halts-Global-Flows.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Energy-Crisis-Warning-UK-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-While-Iran-Halts-Global-Flows.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":430177,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=430177","url_meta":{"origin":366757,"position":2},"title":"Britain Has Just Two Days of Gas as Middle East Flow Runs Dry","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Britain has as little as two days of gas stored up, raising fears of a potential crisis as supplies from the Middle East dry up. The UK\u2019s gas reserves have shrunk from 18,000 GWh worth last year to 6,700 GWh \u2013 enough for just 1.5 days of demand, according to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"electricity prices\"","block_context":{"text":"electricity prices","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electricity-prices"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Britain-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-as-Middle-East-Flow-Runs-Dry.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Britain-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-as-Middle-East-Flow-Runs-Dry.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Britain-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-as-Middle-East-Flow-Runs-Dry.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-Britain-Has-Just-Two-Days-of-Gas-as-Middle-East-Flow-Runs-Dry.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":408119,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=408119","url_meta":{"origin":366757,"position":3},"title":"Germany Faces \u20ac40 Billion Risk If Winter Turns Cold","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"10\/14\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Germany\u2019s gas storage capacity is currently at a little over 76% full. It should be 90% full to prevent the economic devastation Uniper is warning about.","rel":"","context":"In \"economic losses\"","block_context":{"text":"economic losses","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=economic-losses"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQO06xH6E43HamNuMbPBKoHdGHq5N1d17w9t7Sdq-Iokot4yPRRjc5JHizcs2PaIZfduhnhPzI1MATLPKHCJXVpFZzfuaN2momLL77EQ82bmH_5pdGYS4YsJKC-yNeoz-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C783&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQO06xH6E43HamNuMbPBKoHdGHq5N1d17w9t7Sdq-Iokot4yPRRjc5JHizcs2PaIZfduhnhPzI1MATLPKHCJXVpFZzfuaN2momLL77EQ82bmH_5pdGYS4YsJKC-yNeoz-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C783&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQO06xH6E43HamNuMbPBKoHdGHq5N1d17w9t7Sdq-Iokot4yPRRjc5JHizcs2PaIZfduhnhPzI1MATLPKHCJXVpFZzfuaN2momLL77EQ82bmH_5pdGYS4YsJKC-yNeoz-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C783&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQO06xH6E43HamNuMbPBKoHdGHq5N1d17w9t7Sdq-Iokot4yPRRjc5JHizcs2PaIZfduhnhPzI1MATLPKHCJXVpFZzfuaN2momLL77EQ82bmH_5pdGYS4YsJKC-yNeoz-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C783&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQO06xH6E43HamNuMbPBKoHdGHq5N1d17w9t7Sdq-Iokot4yPRRjc5JHizcs2PaIZfduhnhPzI1MATLPKHCJXVpFZzfuaN2momLL77EQ82bmH_5pdGYS4YsJKC-yNeoz-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C783&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":256408,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=256408","url_meta":{"origin":366757,"position":4},"title":"In Norway, resistance to energy exports to Germany is growing","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"05\/07\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"In Norway, resistance to sharing electricity with Germany is growing, although Economy Minister Habeck made a deal in January for a hydrogen pipeline between the two countries to produce electricity. The Norwegians argue that the generated wind power is exclusively for their country and they do not want to share\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"hydrogen pipeline\"","block_context":{"text":"hydrogen pipeline","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=hydrogen-pipeline"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/012-18-13_MW_batteryenergy_1050_644_s_c1_c_c.jpg?fit=1050%2C644&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/012-18-13_MW_batteryenergy_1050_644_s_c1_c_c.jpg?fit=1050%2C644&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/012-18-13_MW_batteryenergy_1050_644_s_c1_c_c.jpg?fit=1050%2C644&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/012-18-13_MW_batteryenergy_1050_644_s_c1_c_c.jpg?fit=1050%2C644&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/012-18-13_MW_batteryenergy_1050_644_s_c1_c_c.jpg?fit=1050%2C644&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":294177,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=294177","url_meta":{"origin":366757,"position":5},"title":"Electricity import alarm in Germany: Low production, high costs and nuclear power imports","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/07\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Nevertheless, there are also worrying developments. Germany produced almost ten percent less electricity overall in 2023 and became a net importer of electricity for the first time since 2002. Imports increased by 63 percent year-on-year, while exports fell by 24.7 percent.","rel":"","context":"In \"electricity prices\"","block_context":{"text":"electricity prices","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electricity-prices"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0sustainability-4-min.jpeg?fit=1200%2C692&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0sustainability-4-min.jpeg?fit=1200%2C692&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0sustainability-4-min.jpeg?fit=1200%2C692&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0sustainability-4-min.jpeg?fit=1200%2C692&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0sustainability-4-min.jpeg?fit=1200%2C692&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=366757"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366757\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":366766,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366757\/revisions\/366766"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/366763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=366757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=366757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=366757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}