France remains adamant against the MidCat gas pipeline project, which will connect Catalonia to the French region of Midi. Although the statements made by Bruno Le Maire, who is generally loved in front of the cameras, on Tuesday opened the door to a certain predisposition, the government led by Emmanuel Macron later reiterated its denial. Spain, Germany and Portugal hope to bend the arm of this “friendly” country, which they accuse of lacking a “European feeling”. But the leaders in Paris remain motionless in their positions as their ears whistle.
Facing criticism from Madrid and Berlin Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Energy Transition, reassured on Friday that they are committed to “European solidarity” to face the current crisis. “Starting this winter, we have come to the conclusion that this interdependence needs to be strengthened through gas and electricity exchanges with Germany and Spain,” he said after convening a Defense Council at the Elysee dedicated to the energy emergency. But the person currently in charge of this important portfolio did not refer to MidCat, which his cabinet opposes.
This was confirmed mid this week by sources close to the French Ministry of Energy Transition to this paper: the construction of this infrastructure Permanent and long-term, when we want to accelerate the exit from fossil fuels and especially natural gas in line with the European strategy, Not available”. “Increasing the interconnection capacity between Spain and Germany via France will require a subsequent strengthening of the French network, which will take several years and cost several billion euros. This is not a response to the current energy crisis,” they added. “I’m not sure a new pipeline will get us through next winter,” Le Maire said on Saturday.
They also share these arguments in France. experts as environmental groupsThis is unusual in a country where Macron has often been criticized for his lack of green ambition. “Obviously we fear MidCat will become a reality, but we have the impression that the French government is convinced it’s rejected,” says Anna-Lena Rebaud, head of climate and just transition campaigns for the NGO Amis de la. Terre, who, like most French environmental associations, but also Spanish associations, opposed the construction of this infrastructure. According to the Spanish Government, the part in the Iberian Peninsula can be completed in eight or nine months. Instead, the French will need a few years.
“The construction of this gas pipeline will take a long time and can only pay off in the long runContrary to the European Union’s will to do without fossil fuels by 2050,” adds the Amis de la Terre militant. “MidCat’s millions should be dedicated to sobriety and energy efficiency measures and renewable energy development,” he insists. It also reminds of the impact on the region “on aquifer ecosystems” that will require, for example, the construction of this gas pipeline. these feeds strong local resistanceIt’s a situation the French Government prefers not to have to deal with.
To justify the construction of the MidCat amid the ecological transition agenda, both Spain and Germany remember that it will also serve the following. carry green hydrogen. An argument that was also rejected by France. “The construction of hydrogen transport infrastructure is a long-term problem in Europe. nothing to do with our security of supply For the next two winters,” sources from the Ministry of Energy Transition stated. “The problem with green hydrogen is that it requires a series of transformations, and it’s not clear that it can be transported through long-distance gas pipelines in the short term,” says economist María Eugenia Sanin Vázquez. University of Evry (south of Paris) and specialist in the energy sector.
“I understand your concern Spain “re-strengthening this infrastructure” due to the large number of gas terminals and the capacity to regasify liquefied natural gas (LNG) —rRepresents 34% of the European Union’s regasification capacity“But I also understand the refusal of France, which has not benefited from the construction of this infrastructure, and on the other hand, Germany’s position seems less consistent to me,” says Thierry Bros, a professor at Sciences Po. Paris. “Why should we pretend to be subjects of Germany? Why should we bring you gas? We have such an impression Germany decides, the rest implements”, adds this expert in the energy sector.
The current discussion on MidCat reflects one of the most important aspects of the current crisis: Lack of a common energy strategy within the EU. This is evidenced by the disparities between France and Germany. While Macron’s France based its energy transition on a nuclear power commitment, Germany made a rapid nuclear cut in exchange for a gas alliance with Vladimir Putin’s Russia, which was blown up by the invasion of Ukraine. This alliance made the Germanic country one gas belly (distribution centre), something that raises suspicion in France. In fact, in the past, it has fueled French opposition to the construction of Nord Stream 2, while trying to improve Macron’s relations with Putin.
After the energy earthquake caused by the war, France gives priority to the construction of nuclear power plants. marine gas terminals —Construction of a floating terminal will begin in Le Havre in the autumn. It is aware that it is an ideal option thanks to its wide coastline. On the other hand, this solution excites the Germans much less. a whole series inconsistencies that don’t seem easy to resolve in the short term, taking into account the strategic value of energy in the economic competitiveness of each country. However, it is also a fact that European countries tend to make the most unexpected decisions in times of crisis like the current one.