What types of LNG terminals are there?

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A distinction is made between types of LNG terminals: land-based and floating facilities. Tankers loaded with liquefied natural gas can dock at the permanently installed, land-based LNG terminals. The LNG is converted back into a gaseous state there - i.e. regasified - and then fed into the gas network on land. There are also floating LNG terminals: these are special ships, known in the industry as "Floating Storage and Regasification Units" (FSRUs), on which the liquefied natural gas can be converted and piped to land.

Which LNG projects are being implemented or planned in Germany?
In the long term, the construction of three permanent LNG terminals is planned in Wilhelmshaven, Brunsbüttel and Stade, according to the federal government. However, the construction period may take several germany consumer email list years, so that these terminals cannot go into operation until 2025/2026 at the earliest. As an interim solution, a total of six floating terminals are to be built on Germany's coasts. In addition to the terminals already opened in Wilhelmshaven (Lower Saxony) and Lubmin (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), where a second one is to be added in each case, further facilities are planned in Brunsbüttel (Schleswig-Holstein) and Stade (Lower Saxony). In Hamburg, plans for a floating LNG terminal in the port have been stopped.

Wilhelmshaven is home to Germany's first floating terminal. The FSRU arrived on December 15, 2022, the terminal was inaugurated on December 17, and the first gas (on board the FSRU) was fed into the German grid on December 21, 2022. Commercial operations finally began in early January 2023. According to operator Uniper, a second project step will also see the realization of a permanent and expanded port solution for the FSRU with additional unloading and transshipment facilities for green gases such as ammonia.
In addition, a second floating terminal is to be built in Wilhelmshaven, which is scheduled to go into operation from the third quarter of 2023. A consortium of E.ON, Engie and Tree Energy Solutions (TES) will operate the facility. TES plans to build a facility for importing green hydrogen at the same location. Once this is operational (planned for 2025/2026), the floating LNG terminal will cease operations.
In Lubmin, the place where the Nord Stream gas pipelines land in Germany, the second German import terminal for liquefied natural gas began commercial operations in mid-January.