• About
    • Which Energy Mix is this?
  • Climate News Network Archive
  • Contact
The climate news that makes a difference.
No Result
View All Result
The Energy Mix
  • Canada
  • UK & Europe
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Ending Emissions
  • Community Climate Finance
  • Clean Electricity Grid
  • Cities & Communities
SUBSCRIBE
DONATE
  • Canada
  • UK & Europe
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Ending Emissions
  • Community Climate Finance
  • Clean Electricity Grid
  • Cities & Communities
SUBSCRIBE
DONATE
No Result
View All Result
The Energy Mix
No Result
View All Result
  • Canada
  • UK & Europe
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Ending Emissions
  • Community Climate Finance
  • Clean Electricity Grid
  • Cities & Communities
  FEATURED
Danske Bank Quits New Fossil Fuel Financing January 23, 2023
Extreme Warming Ahead Even as Worst-Case Scenarios Grow ‘Obsolete’ January 23, 2023
Notley Scorches Federal Just Transition Bill as Fossil CEO Calls for Oilsands Boom January 23, 2023
IRON OXIDE: New Battery Brings Long-Duration Storage to Grids, 750 Jobs to West Virginia January 23, 2023
BREAKING: GFANZ Banks, Investors Pour Hundreds of Billions into Fossil Fuels January 17, 2023
Next
Prev

EU Turns to Methane-Leaking Algeria in Bid to Cut Russian Fuel Imports

June 3, 2022
Reading time: 3 minutes
Primary Author: Compiled by Christopher Bonasia @CBonasia_

Tim Evanson/Wikimedia Commons

Tim Evanson/Wikimedia Commons

6
SHARES
 

As the European Union rushes to wean itself off fossil fuels from Russia, it is exploring a “you collect/we buy” scheme to import more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Algeria, while simultaneously addressing massive methane leaks in the North African nation’s facilities.

“The EU will aim to ensure that additional gas supplies from existing and new gas suppliers are coupled with targeted actions to tackle methane leaks and to address venting and flaring, creating additional liquidity on global markets, while ensuring significant climate benefits,” says a communiqué from the European Commission.

  • Be among the first to read The Energy Mix Weekender
  • A brand new weekly digest containing exclusive and essential climate stories from around the world.
  • The Weekender:The climate news you need.
New!
Subscribe

“To that end, the EU will cooperate with its fossil fuel supply partners to reduce methane emissions,” the statement continues. “The EU stands ready to provide technical assistance to partners to set up such mutually beneficial ‘you collect/we buy’ schemes.”

Sanctions against Russia by the United States and the EU have been weakened by the continent’s dependence on Russian gas. So the EU is hoping to increase imports from Algeria, its second-largest alternative to Russia after Norway. But flaring and massive methane leaks from Algeria’s LNG infrastructure, or an increase in drilling for new sites, would act counter to the EU’s climate goals, reports Bloomberg Green.

According to the International Energy Agency, Algeria’s gas production has the third-highest methane intensity among selected global oil and gas suppliers. Data from satellites indicate that the most potent and persistent emissions are from one huge gas field in particular—Hassi R’Mel—which connects to suppliers in Europe and other areas. Researchers from Valencia Polytechnic University estimate methane leaks from the station at a rate of 4.5 tonnes an hour, roughly the same annual climate impact as about 17 million cars, Bloomberg writes.

Algerian state fossil Sonatrach, which operates at Hassi R’Mel, has disputed claims about the scale of methane leaks, saying its own estimates are “much lower than what is announced elsewhere.” But while the satellite data adds pressure on EU lawmakers to address the leaks, their urgent need to strike a deal for LNG means that “Algeria holds more of the cards” and is less likely to respond to pressure, explains Bloomberg.

The EU is now adapting its strategy to a “you collect/we buy” scheme in which it would purchase gas that would otherwise be released or burned off. In theory, that would create incentives to invest in upgrading technology to prevent methane leaking, says Bloomberg. Methane experts have praised the idea.

“It’s genuinely a world-leading proposal,” said Jonathan Banks, global director for super pollutants at the Clean Air Task Force. “It highlights the rapid climate wins possible at a time when most eyes are squarely on questions of energy security.”

However, some researchers have criticized the EU partnership with Algeria. A policy brief from Ghent University warns that the EU’s measures for gaining energy security from Russia “should not result in too-hasty friendships with alternative fossil fuel suppliers.”

In the brief, researchers Reinhilde Bouckaert and Claire Dupont contend that turning to Algeria for fuel is the wrong course of action, pointing to Algeria’s authoritarian government and loyalty to Russia as reasons against the move. The researchers also point out that perpetuating EU gas demand would delay the green transition in for both the buyer and the seller.

“The real answer to replacing fossil fuels from Russia must be to accelerate the energy transition away from fossil fuels altogether, and emphasizing the transition to a decarbonized energy sector as the heart of the EU’s response,” Bouckaert and Dupont write.



in Africa, Carbon Levels & Measurement, Ending Emissions, Energy Politics, International Agencies & Studies, International Security & War, Legal & Regulatory, Methane, Oil & Gas, Pipelines / Rail Transport, UK & Europe

The latest climate news and analysis, direct to your inbox

Subscribe

Related Posts

United Nations
Air & Marine

Salvage of $20B ‘Floating Time Bomb’ Delayed by Rising Cost of Oil Tankers

January 27, 2023
54
RL0919/wikimedia commons
Finance & Investment

Danske Bank Quits New Fossil Fuel Financing

January 23, 2023
2.2k
@tongbingxue/Twitter
Ending Emissions

Extreme Warming Ahead Even as Worst-Case Scenarios Grow ‘Obsolete’

January 23, 2023
290

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Trending Stories

EcoAnalytics

Albertans Want a Just Transition, Despite Premier’s Grumbling

January 23, 2023
248
United Nations

Salvage of $20B ‘Floating Time Bomb’ Delayed by Rising Cost of Oil Tankers

January 27, 2023
54
RL0919/wikimedia commons

Danske Bank Quits New Fossil Fuel Financing

January 23, 2023
2.2k
@tongbingxue/Twitter

Extreme Warming Ahead Even as Worst-Case Scenarios Grow ‘Obsolete’

January 23, 2023
290
Weirton, WV by Jon Dawson/flickr

IRON OXIDE: New Battery Brings Long-Duration Storage to Grids, 750 Jobs to West Virginia

January 23, 2023
511
Rachel Notley/Facebook

Notley Scorches Federal Just Transition Bill as Fossil CEO Calls for Oilsands Boom

January 23, 2023
271

Recent Posts

Sergio Boscaino/flickr

Dubai Mulls Quitting C40 Cities Over ‘Costly’ Climate Target

January 24, 2023
89
hangela/pixabay

New UK Coal Mine Faces Two Legal Challenges

January 24, 2023
46

Gas Stoves Enter U.S. Climate Culture War, Become ‘Bellwether’ for Industry

January 22, 2023
75
Jeff Hitchcock/flickr.

BREAKING: GFANZ Banks, Investors Pour Hundreds of Billions into Fossil Fuels

January 23, 2023
498

Exxon Had the Right Global Warming Numbers Through Decades of Denial: Study

January 17, 2023
226
willenhallwench / Pixabay

Ontario Greenwashes with ‘Misleading, Illegitimate’ Emission Credits

January 16, 2023
314
Next Post
Peter J. Dunn for University of Warwick/wikimedia commons

Electric Trucks Are Ready to Roll Today, New Study Shows

The Energy Mix - The climate news you need

Copyright 2023 © Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy and Copyright
  • Cookie Policy

Proudly partnering with…

scf_withtagline
No Result
View All Result
  • Canada
  • UK & Europe
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Ending Emissions
  • Community Climate Finance
  • Clean Electricity Grid
  • Cities & Communities

Copyright 2022 © Smarter Shift Inc. and Energy Mix Productions Inc. All rights reserved.

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}