(LifeSiteNews) – Gas prices in Germany are spiking and the country is facing its worst energy crisis since the 1970s. Concern about the coming winter has led many German cities to reportedly prepare heated public dorm rooms, so-called “heat islands,” where elderly and poor people could go if they cannot afford heating anymore.
Last month, the country took a crucial step in rationing gas when economy minister Robert Habeck activated the second stage of the country’s gas emergency plan.
“The situation on the gas market is tense and unfortunately we can’t guarantee that it will not get worse,” he said. “We have to be prepared for the situation to become critical.”
Habeck is encouraging the rest of the nation to save energy after he announced he is taking shorter showers to play his part.
Vonovia, Germany’s largest residential landlord, said it would be lowering the temperature of tenants’ gas central heating to 17C (62.6F) between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. to save eight percent on heating costs.
In the summer, federal and state buildings are only to be cooled with air conditioning when room temperatures get above 26C (78.8F), according to the plan by Germany’s federal states.
According to the state’s plan, street lights are to be dimmed, and room temperatures in city offices are to be lowered in the fall and winter. Schools should also save energy, for instance, by using less hot water.
Reasons for the energy crisis
The main pipeline between Russia and Germany, Nord Stream 1, is currently shut down for 10 days due to scheduled maintenance. Amidst the political tension of the Russia-Ukraine war, some fear that the pipeline may not reopen, either due to more sanctions by the West or because Russia might stop delivering gas through the pipeline.
There is also a second pipeline, Nord Stream 2, through which natural gas could be transported from Russia to Germany. It finished construction last year. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who had been in favor of the project, suspended its certification on February 22, 2022, following the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war.
While the temporary shutdown of Nord Stream 1 is one of the reasons for the immediate spike in gas prices and the energy crisis, critics also blame Germany’s long-term energy policy. The shutdown of nuclear power plants and the funding of unreliable energy sources like wind and solar have been part of the so-called “Energiewende” (energy transition) pushed by the German government. These policies have led to a higher dependence on Russian gas, according to critics.
Ironically, due to the current energy crisis, the German government recently enabled the reactivation of coal-fired power plants, which are considered by many as one of the least “environmentally friendly” energy sources.
Furthermore, some critics say that Germany should stop the sanctions imposed on Russia in order to secure the energy supply for its citizens. In a recent Forsa survey, 63 percent of Germans were against a gas boycott of Russia, up from 50 percent that were against the boycott at the end of May.
Then-U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Germany’s energy dependency on Russia in a 2018 speech at the United Nations, saying “Reliance on a single foreign supplier can leave a nation vulnerable to extortion and intimidation.” Back then, he was laughed at by the German delegates.