German energy group RWE has signed a 15-year contract for LNG from the US

German energy group RWE has signed a fifteen-year deal to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US. According to RWE, the deal will help Germany diversify its energy supply. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s largest economy was largely dependent on natural gas from Russia.

RWE has concluded a supply agreement with US firm Sempra Infrastructure, which will supply LNG from the yet-to-be-opened Texan facility starting in 2027. Every year, this equates to 3 billion cubic meters of gas entering the country through the LNG terminal near Hamburg.

Andree Stracke, director of RWE’s commercial division, said at the signing of the agreement that these agreements are important for the whole of Europe. He reasoned that if Germany could import more gas from countries other than Russia, this would increase security of supply for the entire continent.

Russia has been cutting natural gas supplies to the European Union since the war with Ukraine began. EU countries are supporting the Eastern European country by imposing economic sanctions against Russia and cutting off gas supplies is seen as a means of pressure on the Kremlin.

RWE is also active in the Netherlands, including power stations in Groningen’s Emshavn. A German group recently won a contract to build a wind farm in the Dutch part of the North Sea.