Shale gas – cheap energy for Germany now too?

The dramatic increase in the production of shale gas has led to a decline in prices for natural gas in the USA. Low-price natural gas is currently giving American industry a significant locational advantage compared to the competition from Europe, where natural gas prices are twice to three times as high. Germany too has significant shale gas reserves and the domestic industry is hoping for developments similar to those in the USA. Will German shale gas really spark a boom or is it all just hot air?

Dipl.-Volksw. Dipl.-Geoinf. Harald Hecking,

Institute of Energy Economics at the University of...

Related articles:

Issue 01/2022 EU taxonomy

Nuclear power and natural gas transitionally sustainable

With the draft of the EU Ordinance on Sustainability Classification (taxonomy), the EU Commission ended 2021 with a bang. Herein, provision is made for classifying nuclear power and natural gas as...

more
Issue 6/2017

Effects of natural gas properties on industrial processes (ceramics)

In recent years, the subject of irregular natural gas compositions and the effects of such irregularities on end users in private households, the trades, industry and power generation has become...

more
Issue 07/2014

Changes in the markets for natural gas and their ­consequences for industrial combustion systems

1 Introduction Natural gas is an important source of energy for many industries. In 2011, about 1/3 of Europe’s gas consumption was due to various industrial applications (excluding power generation)...

more
Issue 5-6/2010

Optimal procurement of gas and electricity on a liberalized market: How?

1 Market mechanisms on the German gas market Introduction of the dual-contract model on the German gas market in October 2008 created the prerequisites for active competition. Prior to that, the gas...

more
Issue 03/2010

Current trends in the power and gas supply sector

1 The brick and tile industry in relation to the energy industry A sector with roughly 130 production facilities and 9?500 employees, the German brick and tile industry is chiefly comprised of small...

more