Connection successful: The second LNG terminal ship was successfully connected to the German gas grid in Wilhelmshaven. This will make the energy supply in Germany even more reliable and adaptable. The special ship “Excelsior” docked in the port at the end of April and successfully completed its test operation. It is now fully integrated into the long-distance gas network.
“Gas will remain of great importance for our energy supply for the foreseeable future. The opening of the second LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven is therefore an important step towards greater security of supply, diversification of energy sources and the resilience of our country. It is a great success that the terminal can now go online,” commented Katherina Reiche, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy.
With the commissioning of its third floating LNG import terminal, the federally owned Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET) has reached another important milestone in the LNG Acceleration Act.
At a small press event attended by representatives from federal and state politics as well as project partners, Dr. Peter Röttgen, Managing Director of DET, highlighted the excellent cooperation between all parties involved.
“In this challenging project, we have always worked together towards our goal: to noticeably strengthen the security of energy supply in Germany. We must reduce the risks of one-sided dependency on energy imports for our economy and consumers. Diversifying the supply routes for natural gas is an indispensable means of achieving this. After all, our households and, not least, energy-intensive industry are dependent on natural gas until renewables completely replace fossil fuels. Alongside pipeline natural gas, LNG is making a significant contribution to our stability in Germany and Europe on the road to climate neutrality. On behalf of the entire DET, I would therefore like to express my sincere thanks to all the companies involved, the approval authorities and the officials and elected representatives who made this project possible.”
Excelsior: Environmentally friendly cleaning with ultrasound
From 2025, the “Excelsior” will feed up to 1.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas into the German gas grid every year - enough to supply around 1.5 million four-person households in apartment buildings with heating energy.
In the following two years, the ship's regasification and feed-in capacity will increase to up to 4.6 billion cubic meters per year, which corresponds to the heating requirements of around 3.7 million comparable households.
In Wilhelmshaven, the “Excelsior” complements the already stationed LNG terminal ship “Höegh Esperanza”. Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has criticized the increasing LNG overcapacity and is calling for the “Höegh Esperanza” to be decommissioned as, according to DUH, this ship uses environmentally harmful chlorine biocides and pollutes the Wadden Sea. In contrast, the “Excelsior” is to use a more environmentally friendly ultrasonic cleaning technology for the first time in Europe.
