Gas supply: Fewer LNG imports to Europe • Table.Briefings

Esperanza LNG-Terminal Erdgas — The floating LNG terminal Höegh Esperanza is located off Wilhelmshaven.

In order to compensate for the loss of Russian pipeline gas, LNG capacities in Europe have been greatly expanded. However, the volume imported has recently fallen significantly. It is likely to rise again this year, but experts expect a further decline in the long term.

Imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe fell by 19% in 2024 compared to the previous year. This is according to the latest „European LNG Tracker“ from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). It will be published this Tuesday and was made available to Table.Briefings in advance. The main reason for the current decline is the increased use of pipeline gas, which is imported to Europe from Norway, the UK and North Africa, among others. Overall, natural gas imports remained roughly stable year-on-year. In a longer-term comparison, however, a significant decline can also be seen there: in 2024, European gas demand was around 20 percent lower than in 2021. Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewicz, lead author of the report, cites the expansion of renewable energies and political measures to reduce gas consumption as reasons for this.

Gas supply: Fewer LNG imports to Europe despite new terminals

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