6. Space policy

term, however, the ability of German industry to substitute its use of gas is limited and this winter, the best alternative to switch away from gas is light heating oil. Companies need longer lead times to convert to climate-friendly energy sources such as electricity, hydrogen, or biomass. 27 Until all our energy is supplied by renewables, energy mixes must be composed of an intelligent combination of various sources.

The question therefore remains which supplier countries should be considered for the supply of primary energy sources such as oil and gas. 28 Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is an important alternative to Russian gas as it can be purchased from faraway regions in the world and does not rely upon inflexible infrastructure such as pipelines. Thus, the import infrastructures for LNG (including LNG terminals, e.g.) needs to be expanded in the EU and particularly in Germany. Furthermore, these infrastructures could possibly be used to feed in imported hydrogen.

The opportunities of the energy transition for an improved energy security

Accelerating the development of renewable energy under the framework of the REPowerEU package and the Green New Deal will reduce both emissions and the one-sided energy import dependency of EU member states. Thus, the climate crisis can be a chance to reposition Europe´s energy supply. As renewable energies can be produced almost anywhere in the world, they harbour huge potential for diversification. However, the energy transition will not suffice to render EU-member states selfsufficient and will remain relying on energy imports from third countries, particularly imports of green molecules such as green hydrogen. These facts justify the need for the EU to develop short- and longterm diversification plans. In order to minimise the vulnerability of European energy systems to the geopolitical influence of autocratic regimes, it is crucial to consider both economic and political risks when selecting new international energy partners. A fundamental principle here should consist in ensuring that no single country becomes the sole supplier for energy, intermediate products or raw materials, as is the case today with China´s solar cell supremacy. 29 Additionally, political and social questions such as the protection of human rights and the environment must be included in decisionmaking processes. In general, stronger precautionary measures and safeguards shall be established to protect the EU against major future economic, technical and political crises.

To substitute today´s consumed Russian gas in the long-run, hydrogen and biomethane are considered as the top candidates as they are set to play a major role in industry, especially in the socalled "hard-to-abate" sectors, where direct electrification will be technically or economically hardly feasible. Powerfuels, derivates of low-carbon hydrogen, offer promising opportunities for the transformation of energy systems in the heavy and chemical industries. 30 Hydrogen can also be used to store energy and to couple various energy sectors. To ramp-up the hydrogen market however, the EU’s electrolyser capacity and cross-border hydrogen infrastructures need to be expanded quickly. On a regulatory level, sound international standards and flexible green electricity procurement mechanisms must be implemented. Furthermore, the technology openness must be preserved to let low-carbon and renewable hydrogen develop jointly. Internationally, diverse energy import

27 BDI Gas Survey (2022). Climate and Energy Policy Department (unpublished survey). June. Berlin. 28 Lang, J., & Hohaus, P. (2017). Europäische Energiesicherheit–Politische Rahmenbedingungen | Industrielle Energiestrategie (European Energy Security – Political Framework Conditions | Industrial Energy Strategy) (pp. 19-34). Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden. 29 Manuel, A., Singh, P., & Paine, T. (2019). Compete, Contest and Collaborate: How to Win the Technology Race with China. The Technology and Public Policy Project. Freeman Spogli Institute for International Relations at Stanford University. Stanford. California. 30 European Commission (2020). EU reference scenario 2020 | Energy, transport and GHG emissions - Trends to 2050. Brussels.