Title: Germany’s dependence on imported fossil fuels | Clean Energy Wire
Headings: Germany’s dependence on imported fossil fuels
Factsheet
Germany’s dependence on imported fossil fuels
What impact will the Energiewende have on energy imports?
European Union’s import dependence
Germany - OIL
What impact will the Energiewende have on oil imports?
Germany - GAS
What impact will the Energiewende have on gas imports?
Germany - COAL
What impact will the Energiewende have on coal imports?

Content: Overall dependence on energy imports will change dramatically for some countries as the energy transition progresses. The planned decarbonisation of all sectors by 2050 should all but eliminate fossil fuels from Germany’s energy consumption. On the path to climate neutrality by mid-century, the German government has introduced interim greenhouse gas emission targets for all sectors for the year 2030 with the 2019 climate action law. As fossil oil and gas are being phased out, many see the need to partly replace them with synthetic fuels. Renewable electricity is converted into hydrogen, methane or synthetic petrol ( power-to-x) to serve as energy sources, for example in industry, road freight transport, shipping or seasonal energy storage. According to several studies and politicians, Germany will have to import significant amounts of these green fuels, because space for generating electricity from renewables is limited in the country and power-to-x fuels could be produced significantly cheaper in other regions of the world. European Union’s import dependence
The EU produces large parts of its energy domestically, with about a third from renewables and nuclear each, and the rest mostly solid fuels like hard coal and lignite, and some natural gas and crude oil. Still, most energy needs (about 60%) are met with imports. Almost two-thirds of the EU’s energy imports in 2018 were petroleum products, followed by gas (24%) and solid fossil fuels (8%). Russia was the main extra-EU supplier in all three categories (30% petroleum, 40% gas and 42% solid fossil fuels), followed by Norway for crude oil and natural gas.