Twelve years after the Fukushima accident Japan produces only 6% of its electricity from nuclear reactors. That could be set to change, with profound implications for the world’s largest single LNG importer. [Gas in Transition, Volume 3, Issue 3]
Many factors are in play, but the basic fact is Europe needs to maintain its gas conservation efforts, keep importing large volumes of LNG and hope for clement weather. [Gas in Transition, Volume 3, Issue 3]
European Union countries agreed on Tuesday to extend for a year an emergency measure to voluntarily reduce their gas use, to help prepare for another European winter with scarce Russian supplies.
No final investment decision has been taken on onshore regasification plants in Germany. The use of FSRUs – a necessary emergency option – means import capacity can be released. Nonetheless structural factors suggest LNG has a 20-25 year window of opportunity in the world’s fourth largest economy. [Gas in Transition, Volume 3, Issue 2]