Europe’s Dirty Energy Secret

Rarely in life do we get second chances. 

The problem is that few people ever recognize they're even getting one, and one clear-cut example of this is Germany’s disastrous energy transition. 

But where do we begin?

Sure, we can trace Germany’s green transition to more than 30 years ago, when the country’s Federal Cabinet adopted its first emission goals. Back then, the goal was to reduce CO2 emissions by 25%–30% within 15 years. 

By 2005, Germany was the world’s sixth-largest emitter of CO2 and inked new agreements to cut emissions as the Kyoto Protocol came into effect. My older readers might remember the Kyoto Protocol target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5% between 2008 and 2012 (mind you, this was against 1990 emission levels).

The EU set its climate targets in 2007, which included a 20% cut in greenhouse gases as well as a mandate that 20% of electricity come from renewables. 

Over the next several years, more climate and renewables targets were set, and by 2011, Germany had begun to phase out its nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. 

The coal and nuclear phaseouts that took place up until a short while ago were nothing short of aggressive. 

Two years ago, Germany's anti-coal obsession reached a feverish pitch as the country decided to phase out coal-powered plants entirely by 2030, with a ban on coal plants taking effect on August 14, 2020. 

That decision is why Germany is now faced with a massive energy crisis this winter. 

Fortunately, it has a second chance to avert catastrophe, and the question now is if it'll see this for the opportunity it is. 

The moment that Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, my readers and I knew what was about to happen.

After all, this certainly wasn’t the first time that Putin had weaponized Russia’s energy sector. He had cut the gas flows off to Ukraine in previous disputes, and once the war started dragging on, it was really only a matter of time before he exerted pressure on the rest of Europe.

You know just as well as I do that Putin turned off the gas flows a few months ago, leaving Germany and many other EU members scrambling to secure enough natural gas for the upcoming winter.

So the EU turned to the world’s largest LNG exporters to avert a crisis. 

The good news is that it worked, and despite the fact that gas flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline are still shut, the EU collectively rejoiced as its storage levels reached adequate levels. 

But did it avert the coming energy crisis ahead? 

Maybe, but maybe not.

In order to avoid an energy crunch this winter, the EU is giving coal a second chance as it begins reopening shuttered plants. That’s also not to mention that Germany is now delaying the shutdowns of its nuclear plants… at least, until it gets through this energy crisis. 

Once the chaos finally subsides, there will be renewed calls to ban coal and nuclear plants, and the same energy that will have rescued the country from ruin will be shunned once again. 

Germany is already talking about the next phaseout of coal. 

Meanwhile, there’s one source of energy that the country simply cannot survive without — even during times of peace.

Natural gas.

While the fate of Germany’s coal industry is uncertain over the next 15 years, the country recently inked a long-term deal with Qatar for LNG. 

In fact, Europe has turned to the world’s largest LNG exporters for more energy and is the single largest customer for U.S. LNG. 

Without it, the EU’s energy crisis is a ticking time bomb.

But you don’t have to take my word for it.

Let me show you the full details firsthand.

Until next time,

Keith Kohl

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A true insider in the technology and energy markets, Keith’s research has helped everyday investors capitalize from the rapid adoption of new technology trends and energy transitions. Keith connects with hundreds of thousands of readers as the Managing Editor of Energy & Capital, as well as the investment director of Angel Publishing’s Energy Investor and Technology and Opportunity.

For nearly two decades, Keith has been providing in-depth coverage of the hottest investment trends before they go mainstream — from the shale oil and gas boom in the United States to the red-hot EV revolution currently underway. Keith and his readers have banked hundreds of winning trades on the 5G rollout and on key advancements in robotics and AI technology.

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