Germany: The north-south divide in gas supply

The relationship between the north and the south of the country is one of the things that you don't know exactly, but where you can guess how things will continue. In other words, those regions where gas could become particularly scarce. Above all, Bavaria, which is supplied to a large extent via the Austrian gas storage facility in Haidach near Salzburg, is likely to have a problem. Because one of the largest gas depots in Central Europe is already pretty empty, belongs to Gazprom and is also across the border in Austria. A gas shortage will therefore "not be seen in Germany at the same time and not across the board," says VCI expert Rothermel. In the worst case, it would hit the east and south first. The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) knows that too. who had recently called for solidarity in Germany as a precaution. "If the Bavarian economy has a problem, then Germany has a problem," he said. Disadvantage compared to the north will "under no circumstances be allowed".

The chemical and pharmaceutical industry is the largest gas consumer

Of course, the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) also doesn't know exactly how things will continue. But when the members of the association explain their view of the gas supply situation in Germany, it pays to listen more closely, because there are already some certainties. For example: The chemical and pharmaceutical industry needs around 135 terawatt hours of gas a year. Or, to put it another way: With a share of 15 percent, it is the largest gas consumer in Germany.

Industry fears halving of its gas supply, major loss in output if Russia stops deliveries to Germany

'Sapere aude'

Verzweiflungstat von Energieministerin #Gewessler (Grüne) in der #gaskrise? Österreich will den Gasspeicher #Haidach anzapfen. Doch der ist bisher nur an das deutsche Netz angeschlossen. Bis das #Gas überhaupt in Österreich fließen kann, vergehen Monate. [_link]

— eXXpress (@exxpressat) July 25, 2022

Österreich will für Bayern wichtigen Gasspeicher anzapfen

Austria's government wants to tap into the gas storage facility in Haidach near Salzburg, which is connected to the German grid, this year. "We have decided that all gas storage facilities on Austrian territory must be connected to our network," said the Austrian Minister for Climate Protection and Energy, Leonore Gewessler (Greens) of the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (SZ, Monday edition).

"This decision is final," Gewessker added. She expects that "a first connection" to the Austrian gas network will take place "this year". The gas storage facilities in Austria are currently 50 percent full.

The storage facility in Haidach, a district of Straßwalchen north-east of Salzburg, can hold 2.7 billion cubic meters of gas in its storage facilities. But so far Germany, not Austria, has access to the gas there, because Haidach is exclusively connected to the German gas network.

Pump into the "Chemical Triangle"

The so-called Austria Bavaria Gas Pipeline (ABG), which then brings the gas to Bavaria, is fed from the warehouse in Haidach. A major customer is the Bavarian border town of Burghausen, 40 kilometers away, with the so-called "chemical triangle", one of the most important industrial regions in Bavaria. But also private households in Munich , Ingolstadt or Regensburg are partially supplied with the gas from the pipeline. In addition, there are indirect deliveries to the Austrian federal states of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, which are supplied from Germany for geographical reasons.