Underground gasoline storage (UGS) amenities throughout the European Union reached 90.02 p.c of their collective filling capability for working gasoline volumes (WGV) on Tuesday, which means the 27-member bloc reached its storage goal 10 weeks forward of the deadline.
The extent reached Tuesday represents 1,025.2 terawatt hours (tWh). The figures come from business affiliation Fuel Infrastructure Europe (GIE), which maintains an internet monitoring database for member states’ gasoline storage.
Germany and Italy, the EU’s prime and quantity two gasoline shoppers respectively, exceeded 90 p.c. France, the EU’s third-biggest gasoline shopper, crammed 86.2 p.c of its capability for working gasoline storage.
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Spain, the EU’s fourth-biggest gasoline shopper, was the one nation to breach its full working gasoline capability, posting 100.11 p.c. “Storage ranges above reported WGV (technical capability) are attainable for brief durations, in case distinctive situations can be found, relying on contextual components: operational calls for, technological and geological situations of the UGS at a sure interval, gasoline power equal, and/or safety of provide concerns”, the GIE explains on its monitoring portal.
Final yr the EU additionally achieved its minimal required storage stage over two months forward of schedule.
On June 19, 2022, the EU handed a regulation mandating the area’s gasoline storage amenities be crammed to no less than 90 p.c of capability by November 1 annually. This was in response to surges in power costs that adopted Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On November 20, 2023, the EU handed a regulation setting middleman minimal filling ranges for member states’ underground gasoline storage amenities in 2024 towards the annual regional goal of no less than 90 p.c.
“Fuel storage is vital for safety of power provide in Europe as it might cowl as much as one-third of the EU’s gasoline demand in winter”, the European Fee mentioned in an announcement Wednesday.
EU Power Commissioner Kadri Simson mentioned that the achievement “highlights the EU’s readiness for the approaching winter, based mostly on our intensive work previously 2.5 years”.
“The Fee will proceed to watch the scenario, in order that gasoline storage ranges stay sufficiently excessive throughout the approaching months, and in order that we additionally keep our give attention to bettering power effectivity and boosting the renewable power roll-out”, Simson added.
The gasoline storage regulation was amongst a number of insurance policies adopted by the EU to assist future-proof its power system following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine February 2022. Within the renewables sector, REPowerEU was launched Might 18, 2022, outlining EU methods towards independence from Russian fossil fuels.
Renewable power sources accounted for 44 p.c of total electrical energy era within the EU final yr to overhaul fossil fuels for the primary time, in accordance with the Fee’s quarterly electrical energy market report launched June 6, 2024.
In Wednesday’s assertion, Simson additionally referred to as on Europe to proceed offering power assist for Ukraine, “the place the power sector is beneath heavy and fixed assault from Russia”.
“Europe should proceed to face by Ukraine and supply the required assist to its power system in order that the Ukrainian inhabitants can also get safely via the powerful winter forward”, Simson added.
As of Tuesday Ukraine crammed solely 22.2 p.c of its technical gasoline storage capability, equal to 70.8 tWh, in accordance with GIE.
To contact the writer, e-mail jov.onsat@rigzone.com
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