Searching for energy: Where is Europe looking for its next fuel sources?

From one autocratic regime to others, it seems Europe does not learn its lessons. Or could hydrogen pla a role?

The conflict in Ukraine forced Europe to look for other energy sources to avoid winter shortages. How does the EU fare in that regard?

Giant floating LNG terminals are expensive to run. Shutterstock

From Russia’s autocratic regime… to other autocratic regimes

Before the summer holidays, the EU started looking for alternative exported for its energy needs. In June, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed deals with Egypt and Israel. A month after, with Azerbaijan.

The least we can say is that Europe is switching from Russia - a very problematic partner when it comes to democracy and, as we realized this year, not very keen to respect the territory of other nations - to other less-than-ideal regimes.

This week, France’s President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Algeria for what some consider a “gas trip”, aimed at securing the African country’s gas exports.

The only energy fuel that is not coming from less-than-democratic nations is American liquified natural gas (LNG). But this energy source to comes with its own limitations. Europe does not have the infrastructure to transform LNG into usable gas (that is under its gaseous form). Germany is exceptionally renting gigantic floating LNG terminals that transform the liquid into gas.