Germany's biggest cities prepare for looming energy crisis

[ChildofLight]

Germany's biggest cities prepare for looming energy crisis by shutting off warm water, limiting heat, and switching off lighting

Some of Germany's biggest cities are preparing for an energy crunch this winter by shutting off warm water, limiting heat, and switching off lighting.

The German city of Hanover is attempting to reduce its energy consumption by 15%.

Between Oct. 1 and March 31, Hanover's municipal buildings will not be allowed to be heated to a temperature over 68F. The city has banned the use of mobile air conditioning units and fan heaters.

The citizens of Hanover will be forced to take cold showers at city-run facilities. The German city will cut off hot water in public buildings, swimming pools, and gyms.

"The situation is unpredictable. Every kilowatt hour counts, and protecting critical infrastructure has to be a priority," said Hanover Mayor Belit Onay – who is part of the Green party. "We are facing hard times due to the Russian aggression on Ukraine. And as we see that there's a looming gas shortage, this is a major challenge for municipalities."

"I think everyone, not only the municipalities — the federal government also, and also every single person in Germany — is needed for this. Everyone has to save energy as much as possible so we can get through the winter," Onsay said. "Otherwise ... in December or January, we will have much bigger problems than lighting or the showers."

Hanover isn't the only German city limiting energy use.

Last week, the German city of Munich announced that it would turn off spotlights on its town hall. The city also shut off warm water at its municipal offices. Fountains in Germany's third-largest city would be turned off at night.

Nuremberg closed three of its four public indoor swimming pools run by the city.

"Vonovia, the country’s largest residential landlord, said it would be lowering the temperature of its tenants’ gas central heating to 17C (62F) between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.," the Financial Times reported. "A housing association in the Saxon town of Dippoldiswalde, near the Czech border, went a step further this week, saying it was rationing the supply of hot water to tenants. From now on, they can only take hot showers between 4 a.m. - 8 a.m., 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. - 9 p.m."

The district of Lahn-Dill, near Frankfurt, turned off hot water in its 86 schools and 60 gyms until mid-September.

Last week, Berlin's senate voted to turn off the lighting of 200 monuments, buildings, and landmarks in the German capital of more than 3.5 million people to save electricity.

"In April, Berlin had announced measures to keep its outdoor swimming pools at two degrees below the weather-dependent standard temperature throughout the summer season," The Guardian reported.

Bettina Jarasch – Berlin’s senator for the environment – said, "In the face of the war against Ukraine and Russia’s energy threats it is vital that we handle our energy as carefully as possible."

Germany is one of the countries most heavily dependent on Russian energy.

In 2021, 34% of Germany's crude oil came from Russia and 53% of coal imported into Germany was shipped from Russia. Before the invasion of Ukraine, Germany received 55% of its natural gas from Russia, according to the New York Times.

Last week, Russian gas giant Gazprom PJSC declared that it would limit natural gas shipped through the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany down to 20% of capacity, Bloomberg reported.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/germa...8-01&utm_term=ACTIVE LIST - TheBlaze Daily AM

 

[Tall Timbers]

I keep our thermostats at 60 in the wintertime. 68 deg would be too warm for me. When I've got the wood stove going I try to keep our Great Room from going over 70 deg, and the rest of the house will add a couple of deg from that, and that's plenty.

In WY I plan to keep the house at 60 deg in the winter time and 76 in the summertime, at least when cooling or heating is required. When I was younger I used to use max air conditioning during summers and very little heating during winters, but I've learned that it's actually easier on the body to just take the edge off the heat (in the home and car) during high temp times... that way the body doesn't go from a very cool temp to a hot temp as you go in and out of the house.

How foolish it is to base your energy needs on oil and gas from a historically unfriendly nation...

 

[DMac]

Liberals and Communists don't seem to improve anyone's way of life.

 

[NewWine2020]

I keep our thermostats at 60 in the wintertime. 68 deg would be too warm for me. When I've got the wood stove going I try to keep our Great Room from going over 70 deg, and the rest of the house will add a couple of deg from that, and that's plenty.

In WY I plan to keep the house at 60 deg in the winter time and 76 in the summertime, at least when cooling or heating is required. When I was younger I used to use max air conditioning during summers and very little heating during winters, but I've learned that it's actually easier on the body to just take the edge off the heat (in the home and car) during high temp times... that way the body doesn't go from a very cool temp to a hot temp as you go in and out of the house.

How foolish it is to base your energy needs on oil and gas from a historically unfriendly nation...

Although no one says it out loud, I wonder if the Russian people are feeling like this is "karmic payback" for what the Nazi's did to Mother Russia during their "Great Patriotic War?"

It's really stupid for a nation to get strung out on resources from another nation they have a history with like Germany and Russia.

 

[TimeWarpWife]

We keep the thermostat on 65 during the winter and 70 in the summer. I'm always cold in the winter so my everyday uniform is sweatpants, sweatshirt, sometimes a t-shirt under the sweatshirt if it's really cold, thermal socks, and chenille bootie slippers. DH calls me "Nanook" and laughs at me because when he's home he's always lounging around in shorts ~ summer and winter. This past January when our electricity was out for three days, I added a sherpa-lined hoodie and blanket to my everyday uniform. That three days was more than enough for me dealing with the cold because as some of you know I'm not a fan of cold weather at all. I can't imagine what it's going to be like for these poor people in Germany this coming winter. If this happens in the future here in the U. S., seriously, FL will be my new home state whether dh wants to move or not.

 

[DWB]

That's like cutting off your feet to reduce shoe costs.