The abrupt disconnection of Russian hydrocarbons as a consequence of the war in Ukraine has drawn a new energy map in Europe. two southern countries Spain and Italy, seek to take advantage of its proximity to the deposits of North Africa, its gas infrastructure and its potential with renewables to become the new energy hub of the continent. THE NEWSPAPER reviews in the Sunday theme to both approaches, plagued by unknowns and risks, according to the experts consulted.
While the Government of Giorgia Meloni has closed agreements in the last year to increase the supply from Algeria either Libya and seek new markets in Angola either Congo, Pedro Sanchez has opted for renewable hydrogen as a medium-term plan. Spain has reached this point after seeing its dream of becoming the great center for the reception, processing and export of liquefied natural gas. Despite having the infrastructure to store and process the hydrocarbon, it barely has interconnections with Europe and France has slammed the MidCat project.
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EL PERIÓDICO will also address how Algeria and Libya use as a power weapon, internal and external, gas and oil reserves. But, at the same time, hydrocarbons and their management are a factor of instability in countries with authoritarian rulers or who are unable to get out of the loop of violence.
The Sunday Theme will complete its offer with a multimedia in which it will carry out a Balance on the amount of gas that arrived in Spain in 2022, 7% more than a year earlier, most of it by boat due to the war in Ukraine and the closure of one of the gas pipelines with Algeria. The main exporting countries were the United States, which doubled its supplies; Algeria, which reduced them by 40%, and Nigeria and Russia, both with 30% and 55% more gas sales. Despite being at the end of winter, Spain has almost 80% warehouses. On average, reservations in Europe are at 58%.