Despite this, Germany fed LNG into its gas grid at just 36.3%, far below the EU average of 50.8%. National gas consumption has also declined over the same period – falling 15% in 2022 and remaining largely stable since.
The IEEFA report warns that if all existing LNG contracts run their course, Germany will be committed to importing 26.2 billion cubic metres of LNG by 2030, nearly triple its 2025 import volume.
It raises the question: why is Germany planning to expand LNG capacity to 56.1 billion cubic metres by 2028?
Heat pumps take centre stage
Amid the apparent missteps, one pillar of Germany’s energy policy stands out. Between 2022 and 2025, the counattempt installed more than one million residential heat pumps, cutting cumulative gas demand by roughly 40 terawatt-hours over that period.
The IEEFA notes this shift avoided the required for 16% additional LNG imports across three years, saving Germany about €1.3bn (US$1.5bn) in import costs. In 2025, heat pump sales surpassed gas boiler sales for the first time, with almost 300,000 units sold over twelve months.
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