The European Union will temporarily shift back to coal to cope with slowing Russian gas flows, an EU official said on Wednesday, as a tight gas market and rocketing prices set off a race for alternative fuels.
European leaders have rounded on Russia as flows through its Nord Stream 1 pipeline were cut to just 40% of capacity, deepening an energy standoff after the invasion of Ukraine prompted Europe to impose tough sanctions on Moscow.
To cope with gas shortfalls, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Europe must replace Russian energy supplies while boosting efficiency and renewables, including nuclear power.
In a statement to Reuters, IEA chief Fatih Birol warned Russia might continue to find excuses to cut supplies or halt them altogether as winter approached. Russia has denied that its supply cuts are premeditated.
Another flashpoint in the energy crisis could come in the Baltics.
Lithuania’s president told Reuters her country was ready for Russia shutting it out of a common power grid in retaliation for its blocking of rail shipments of some Russian goods to Moscow’s Kaliningrad exclave.
The Kremlin has promised retaliation without specifying what form it could take.
Europe will temporarily pursue fossil fuel alternatives to Russian gas in light of President Vladimir Putin’s actions but these moves will not derail longer term climate change objectives, a senior European Commission official said.
“The unlawful invasion by Russia of Ukraine has resulted in an emergency situation in the EU,” Elina Bardram, acting director for International Affairs and Climate Finance at the European Commission, told the Africa Energy Forum in Brussels.
“With the very rogue moves we are observing from the Putin administration in terms of Gazprom lowering the flow very suddenly, we are doing some very important measures, but all of those measures are temporary,” she added, referring to boosting coal use.
