Natural gas storage full to the brim: Federal Network Agency relieved
The fill level of German natural gas storage facilities has reached the 100 percent mark. The European gas storage association GIE registered exactly 100.03 percent, according to preliminary data published on the internet. According to earlier information from the German government, this volume corresponds to the consumption of two to three average cold winter months.
The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, expressed his relief: "It is good news that the storage facilities are now 100 percent full. We are much better prepared for the winter than we were last year," Müller told the German Press Agency. However, it is too early to give the all-clear. "We are asking people to continue to think carefully about what consumption can be saved." Those who use gas sparingly can save a lot of money.
Gas storage is subject to fluctuations
Gas storage facilities compensate for fluctuations in gas consumption and thus form a buffer system for the gas market. In winter, the filling levels usually decrease and then increase again after the end of the heating period.
The largest German storage facility in Rehden, Lower Saxony, recorded a fill level of 99.3%. The storage facilities across the EU are also almost full. According to the EIG, the filling level was almost 99.6 percent.
According to the storage association Ines, 100 percent indicates the capacity of gas storage facilities under normal conditions. If the gas cools down, the volume decreases so that more gas can be stored. In such a case, the fill level exceeds the 100 percent mark.
The high fill level of gas storage facilities is beneficial for heating needs during the winter. EIG, the European gas storage association, reported that German storage facilities, including the large one in Rehden, are nearly at their 100% capacity, with EU storage facilities not far behind. This surplus energy, or 'Gas', can be utilized effectively to alleviate potential energy needs, as highlighted by the President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, who emphasized the significance of continued energy conservation efforts using 'Energy-efficient Intelligent Gas' (EIG) technologies.
Source: www.dpa.com
