Croatia might become a significant gas supplier for the German state of Bavaria by supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydrogen to the industrial powerhouse state, according to a report from the Süddeutsche Zeitung. “Bavaria is seeking its energy of the future,” stated state premier Markus Soder during a visit to Krk, the northernmost island in the Mediterranean belonging to Croatia.
Soder, who was accompanied by the chancellor of Austria and the prime minister of Croatia, stated that receiving gas supplies from the nation located in southeastern Europe would not only make landlocked Bavaria more independent from Russia, but it would also make it “more independent from the North.” The coastal states in the northern part of Germany have emerged as the most important entry points for gas into the country. This gas currently originates from countries such as the Netherlands and Norway, and newly constructed shipping terminals are slated to receive LNG shipments in the near future.
The conservative member from the CSU stated that a pipeline going through Austria could first provide gas and then green hydrogen to meet “Bavaria’s great thirst for energy.” His state got around 90 percent of its gas supplies from Russia. According to the article, the proposed annual capacity of the terminal on Krk island is approximately six billion cubic meters, which is roughly equivalent to half of Bavaria’s annual consumption.
Even though the building of the pipeline is anticipated to take up to five years, Croatia’s Prime Minister Plenkovic has stated that one of his goals is to make the country a “energy hub” in southern Europe. Energy expert Martin Stümpfig, speaking on behalf of the Green Party in Bavaria, stated that the state would not require any gas pipelines that are not finished until the year 2030. He argued that Soder should rather do more to build up renewable power production within the state itself.
According to Stümpfig, “We Need to Get Out of Gas as a Bridge Technology.” The state premier of Bavaria, along with the leaders of Austria and Croatia, came to an agreement to forward the project at the EU level and establish a steering group to evaluate the necessary infrastructure measures and associated expenses. According to Soder, “the potential pipeline is not about this winter,” but rather it ought to contribute to long-term energy planning.
Due to its significant dependence on Russian gas, its many energy-intensive enterprises, and the sluggish roll-out of wind generation and power transmission lines, Bavaria is being struck harder than other German states by the current energy crisis. The industry in the state has issued a warning that Bavaria runs the risk of falling behind other states if it does not catch up in terms of the production of renewable power. Meanwhile, states in northern Germany have called for the country to be split into two different power price zones that grant lower prices to regions that have a greater abundance of renewable power available.