Austria is seeking to diversify its energy mix by expanding renewable power and increasing gas imports from Africa to avoid heavy reliance on US liquefied natural gas. Energy State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner said European countries are reassessing supply strategies as the European Union plans to phase out Russian gas by 2027. Speaking at an International Energy Agency gathering in Paris, she emphasized that while domestic renewable generation offers greater reliability than imports, natural gas remains essential for stable supply for decades to come. While the United States currently supplies more than 40% of Europe’s LNG, Austrian officials worry that shifting dependence from Russia to the US under the Trump administration could create new vulnerabilities. As a result, Vienna is exploring additional supplies via Italy’s Transmed pipeline from Africa and Romania’s Neptun Deep field while maintaining existing imports from Norway and Qatar.
Reuters
