Due to Russian gas blackmail, the United Kingdom reduces its dependence on Russian energy and relies on shale gas, coal, nuclear and renewable energy
Great Britain reduced Russian gas imports by 75% compared to the same period last year, and the share of imports oil from Russia has halved, – said said Minister of Business and Energy of the United Kingdom Kwasi Quartenga during the Second Century London Conference
“Putin's brutal war has a profound effect on the humanitarian situation in the world and has led to significant energy and security costs,” the minister said.
But according to a British official, the gas crisis is not just the result of war. As economies reopened after quarantine and demand rose sharply, gas prices inevitably began to rise.
“When I talk to my colleagues in Europe and abroad, they all face the same problems. In Germany, the government has resumed coal-fired power plants. In France, system operators are urging households to take a shower instead of a bath. No European country is safe from this, especially the UK. Although the UK receives very little gas from Russia, we are all vulnerable to gas markets that we are unable to control, “the official said.
According to Quarteng, despite a barrage of devastating sanctions, Russia can still use its dominance over gas supplies.
“Europe can no longer be in this position. In the United Kingdom, we have already reduced Russian gas imports by 75% compared to the same period last year, and the share of oil imports from Russia has halved. Our last Russian LNG party was on March 2 this year. And by the end of this year, we will no longer import Russian fossil fuels, “ – said the Minister.
“COVID-19 and the Russian invasion created a huge load on the UK energy system and has shown that we need to completely reduce our dependence on the volatile gas market. And we can do that by giving up gas in the long run, ”the minister said in a statement.
The Minister sees a way out of the situation in the development of renewable and nuclear energy through private investment.
“Today, world gas prices are at a record high. The government has increased the capacity of renewables by 500% since 2010, and the current situation shows that we need even more diversity. And, of course, the key to greater diversification of the energy market is to unlock private investment. The UK will need hundreds of billions of pounds over the next decades to invest in clean energy, power upgrades and new nuclear energy, ”Quartenga said.
According to the Minister, the United Kingdom is preparing for any development and will extend the life of coal-fired power plants and focus on increasing its own gas production. The government will also support wind and solar generation.
“Our aim is for the wind generation to produce 50 GW by the end of this decade, which is more than enough to power every home in the UK,” the Minister remarked.
The Minister also asked the British Geological Survey to re-evaluate the knowledge on shale gas production in England.
Read also: In Europe, found a worthy replacement for Russia among gas suppliers
Earlier in the European Union said that Norway is a reliable supplier of oil and gas. The EU intends to support field exploration in this country.
Due to Russian gas blackmail Germany is ready to temporarily resume the operation of coal-fired power plants, and the European Commission advises to reduce the temperature home heating.
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