The European Union’s energy chief said the bloc is growing increasingly concerned about its dependence on US liquefied natural gas, particularly in the wake of President Donald Trump’s threats to take over Greenland.
Recent events have been a “wake-up call” for the region, which now relies on the US for more than half its LNG supply, Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said Wednesday. The bloc is actively looking at taking more from Canada, Qatar and North African countries, he said.
Trump’s promise to “own” Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, and his threats to countries that try to impede his efforts have forced Europe to reassess its ties to the US across a range of sectors, including defense and energy. A trade deal last year included a commitment for the EU to buy $750 billion of American energy as the bloc diversified away from Russia.
“We are speaking to countries around the world that are able to deliver LNG to us,” Jorgensen told reporters in Brussels. “I definitely hear this when speaking to energy ministers and heads of state from all over Europe that there is a growing concern.”
Jorgensen said that in the coming weeks he would be meeting with possible LNG suppliers. Canada’s energy minister, Tim Hodgson, said in recent days that the country was looking to diversify its gas sales away from the US by boosting LNG exports elsewhere.
“We will never use our energy for coercion,” Hodgson said at a conference in India. “Canada used to provide 98% of its energy exports to a single country. We are committed to diversifying.”
The EU still receives about 15% of its LNG supplies from Moscow, but it recently agreed on a deal to phase out those imports.
Speaking to Tass news service on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that in “rejecting the most competitive Russian pipeline gas or liquefied natural gas,” EU countries are “condemning themselves to dependence on a small number of gas sources, primarily the United States.”
100000% tariffs on any country which is not buying US LNG… coming in 3… 2… 1…
Small_Importance_955 on
The same countries that berated Qatar for its human rights violations just last year? I wonder if they can strike a deal.
Automatic-Guide-4307 on
What about buying from us?🇧🇻
goldstarflag on
Only a quarter of Europe’s gas comes from the US. Sure, that’s still not good, but it can be mitigated by diversifying to other suppliers. Half of it also will be replaced by renewables within two years.
Atys_SLC on
Yeah, or we could not label it as green, conceal it to the chemical industries that can’t work without it and not burn it in the air.
Prudent-Farmer-4182 on
Qatar has been providing gas to EU for couple of years but issue is demand from their other customers: India and China.
Intrepid-Routine-875 on
Good job Adolf Trump ♥
Ok_Photo_865 on
Well done
magdogg_sweden on
Or, maybe finally build district heating and not have to buy any gas at all, how about that?
18 commenti
The European Union’s energy chief said the bloc is growing increasingly concerned about its dependence on US liquefied natural gas, particularly in the wake of President Donald Trump’s threats to take over Greenland.
Recent events have been a “wake-up call” for the region, which now relies on the US for more than half its LNG supply, Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said Wednesday. The bloc is actively looking at taking more from Canada, Qatar and North African countries, he said.
Trump’s promise to “own” Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, and his threats to countries that try to impede his efforts have forced Europe to reassess its ties to the US across a range of sectors, including defense and energy. A trade deal last year included a commitment for the EU to buy $750 billion of American energy as the bloc diversified away from Russia.
“We are speaking to countries around the world that are able to deliver LNG to us,” Jorgensen told reporters in Brussels. “I definitely hear this when speaking to energy ministers and heads of state from all over Europe that there is a growing concern.”
Jorgensen said that in the coming weeks he would be meeting with possible LNG suppliers. Canada’s energy minister, Tim Hodgson, said in recent days that the country was looking to diversify its gas sales away from the US by boosting LNG exports elsewhere.
“We will never use our energy for coercion,” Hodgson said at a conference in India. “Canada used to provide 98% of its energy exports to a single country. We are committed to diversifying.”
The EU still receives about 15% of its LNG supplies from Moscow, but it recently agreed on a deal to phase out those imports.
Speaking to Tass news service on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that in “rejecting the most competitive Russian pipeline gas or liquefied natural gas,” EU countries are “condemning themselves to dependence on a small number of gas sources, primarily the United States.”
He said the US sells gas “at a very high price.”
Major options: Canada, Nigeria, Qatar, Algeria, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Iran (after revolution).
edit:
And we have our own Norway ofcourse which delivers a huge chunk.
Also the world’s largest wind farm currently under construction in the North Sea
https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/nine-countries-pledge-european-independence-through-north-sea-wind/
100000% tariffs on any country which is not buying US LNG… coming in 3… 2… 1…
The same countries that berated Qatar for its human rights violations just last year? I wonder if they can strike a deal.
What about buying from us?🇧🇻
Only a quarter of Europe’s gas comes from the US. Sure, that’s still not good, but it can be mitigated by diversifying to other suppliers. Half of it also will be replaced by renewables within two years.
Yeah, or we could not label it as green, conceal it to the chemical industries that can’t work without it and not burn it in the air.
Qatar has been providing gas to EU for couple of years but issue is demand from their other customers: India and China.
Good job Adolf Trump ♥
Well done
Or, maybe finally build district heating and not have to buy any gas at all, how about that?
So much winning…
Which Qatar? You mean this [one](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_corruption_scandal_at_the_European_Parliament)? The one that was trying to gain influence in the EU parliament? No thanks.
…..or switch to renewables so you can be more independent.
It’s tariffs day!!!! /s
Canada, I understand but Qatar? You wanted a country less problematic than the US is right now? Fair play, let’s see how that works out.
From being dependant on cheap Russian gas, we diversified to becoming dependant on expensive US gas.