Deutsche LNG-Ausbaupläne führen zu Überkapazität und gefährden

The NewClimate Institute argues that Germany's planned LNG terminal expansion exceeds necessary reserve buffers and threatens the country's climate targets. The report suggests that current floating terminals are sufficient for energy security, while further onshore expansion risks creating stranded assets and fossil fuel lock-ins. It criticizes the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and the Energy Economics Institute (EWI) for underestimating technical capacities in their analyses and for assumptions that conflict with the legally binding Climate Action Act.

• The planned expansion of LNG import capacities is oversized and exceeds what would be considered a reserve buffer, partly because the BMWK and EWI use lower estimates for terminal lifespans and capacities than are technically possible.
• The LNG Acceleration Act allows terminals to operate until the end of 2043; if these plants operate at high capacity, Germany will fail to meet its climate goals. The BMWK's natural gas consumption assumptions are deemed difficult to reconcile with the sector targets of the legally binding Climate Action Act.
• Low utilization of terminals, which is expected if gas consumption aligns with the Climate Action Act, creates economic risks and stranded assets. The BMWK report assumes utilization of less than 50% for most years, specifically only 23% in 2030, while charter costs for currently unused floating terminals total 1.2 billion euros until the end of the contracts.
• Hydrogen-readiness does not justify overcapacity because the projected demand for hydrogen imports via sea in Germany is relatively small. The report notes that the planned onshore terminal in Wilhelmshaven is labeled as a green gas terminal despite being a standard LNG terminal for natural gas.
• Existing floating terminals are sufficient to cover supply bottlenecks even in extreme infrastructure failure scenarios, meaning onshore terminals are not necessary at any point. Overcapacity leads to fossil fuel lock-ins and hinders the energy transition.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2023). Deutsche LNG-Ausbaupläne führen zu Überkapazität und gefährden. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/deutsche-lng-ausbauplane-fuhren-zu-uberkapazitat-und-gefahrden

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Deutsche LNG-Ausbaupläne führen zu Überkapazität und gefährden. 2023. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/deutsche-lng-ausbauplane-fuhren-zu-uberkapazitat-und-gefahrden.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Deutsche LNG-Ausbaupläne führen zu Überkapazität und gefährden |date=17 March 2023 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/deutsche-lng-ausbauplane-fuhren-zu-uberkapazitat-und-gefahrden |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2023deutsche, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Deutsche LNG-Ausbaupläne führen zu Überkapazität und gefährden}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/deutsche-lng-ausbauplane-fuhren-zu-uberkapazitat-und-gefahrden}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }