Bundesnetzagentur publishes gas supply figures for 2022
Date of issue 2023.01.06
The Bundesnetzagentur has today published gas supply figures for the year 2022.
Gas imports and exports
The total volume of natural gas imported into Germany in 2022 was 1,449 TWh (2021: 1,652 TWh). The largest volumes came from Norway (33%) and Russia (22%; the share was 52% in 2021). Gas imports from Russia declined over the course of the year. While around 1.7 TWh were still being delivered daily through Nord Stream 1 until the middle of June, those figures dropped initially by 60%, then by 80% and ultimately fell to 0 TWh at the beginning of September. The lack of deliveries from Russia was partially compensated with additional imports from the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and other countries.
Exports to neighbouring countries decreased at the same time, in part due to a lower demand for gas. Overall, Germany exported around 501 TWh of natural gas in 2022 (2021: 749 TWh). This resulted in a balance of 948 TWh more natural gas available in Germany than in 2021 (902 TWh).
Gas consumption down
Germany consumed much less gas in 2022. Compared with the average consumption over the past four years, natural gas consumption decreased by 14%. The decrease in industrial consumption was down by 15% compared with previous years, and for private households and businesses gas consumption was down by 12%. In the months from October to December, consumption by industry was down by 23% and consumption by private consumers and businesses was down by 21% compared with previous years.
Temperatures had a strong effect on gas consumption. Overall they had a consumption-reducing effect compared to the years 2018-2021. Temperatures in 2022 were on average 1.1°C above the annual average of the last four years. In October and November they were 2.3°C and 1.1°C respectively above the monthly averages. By contrast, December was significantly colder (average temperature of 1.8°C) with an average temperature that was 1.4 °C colder than in previous years.
Gas storage facilities filled more quickly
The legal storage level requirements for storage facilities on 1 October (85%) and 1 November (95%) were each surpassed. Storage was already 85% full at the beginning of September and on 12 October it reached the 95% level. As from 1 April gas was mostly being injected into storage, until on 13 November 2022 the storage facilities were finally 100% full. Storage levels are currently at 90.72%, which is unusually high. Injection into storage facilities will continue to be a challenge in 2023 due to the lingering uncertainty of Germany's gas supply.
Gas prices up
The price of wholesale gas has quadrupled since March 2022, reaching a temporary record high (€315.9/MWh) at the end of August on the EEX energy exchange. At that level, wholesale gas prices were around four times what they were before the outbreak of the Russian war in Ukraine. By November prices fell again significantly and were at the year's lowest level on 1 November 2022 (€22.4/MWh). At the end of the year the wholesale price was €63.8/MWh, which was slightly below the expected wholesale prices for 2023 (most recently €88.7/MWh).
The Bundesnetzagentur has published more figures and data about the gas supply in 2022 at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/gasversorgung-rueckblick2022.