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, according to Reuters.
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.
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.