Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the German federal government. It is publicly financed and its revenues, after operating costs have been deducted, are returned to the federal budget. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action manages the federal government's involvement. DET began operations on 15 January 2023. More information about DET can also be found on the following subpage:
About DETOur core tasks are terminal operation and international marketing of regasification capacities. Three framework conditions are in the foreground:
- Energy security
- Transformation of the energy supply
- Economic efficiency
More information can be found on the following subpage:
About DETGiven the cut-off of gas supplies from Russia in 2022, there was significant pressure on the federal government to quickly restore energy security. In record time, sites with Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRU) were built in cooperation with experienced market partners. Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH was founded to operate the terminals and commenced commercial operations at the Wilhelmshaven 1 terminal on 15 January 2023. After completion of all terminals by third parties and approval, DET takes over the facilities and begins operation. This includes both terminal management and capacity marketing.
Further information and current developments concerning the individual sites can be found on our site pages:
Brunsbüttel Stade WilhelmshavenFSRU stands for "Floating Storage and Regasification Unit". It is an LNG carrier that also has an LNG regasification plant installed.
The number of terminals is based on the calculated need for supply security. DET's facilities are based on corresponding analyses and decisions by the federal government.
The operating duration of the FSRUs is determined by the provisions of the LNG Acceleration Act. Accordingly, the FSRUs in Brunsbüttel, Stade and Wilhelmshaven 2 are to be decommissioned six months after the commissioning of the planned onshore terminals as regasification units at these sites. The operating period for Wilhelmshaven 1 is designed to last ten years. Furthermore, the use of fossil energy resources is limited by the goal of climate neutrality by 2045.
The federal government initiated the installation of LNG terminals (FSRUs) as they were not previously brought about by the market and urgent action was required. Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH was subsequently founded for their operation, with the main tasks being management and marketing of capacities. Details of the marketing are regulated in the LNG Regulation (LNGV).
More information on marketing and specific information for traders can be found on these subpages:
Capacity Marketing Trader InnformationRegasification refers to the re-conversion of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) back into its gaseous state. LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to about -162°C, thereby transforming it into a liquid state. This process compresses the natural gas approximately six hundredfold. In its liquefied state, natural gas can be transported in large volumes by carriers. 165,000 cubic metres which equals an LNG shipment on a carrier corresponds to about 100 million cubic metres in the natural gas grid, roughly the equivalent to the annual consumption of 50,000 households.
You can view the process flows of regasification in the simplified graphic below.
LNG is non-flammable – its high density at low temperatures prevents ignition. If LNG is unintentionally released, it evaporates quickly and, since it is lighter than air, rises into the atmosphere, where it has climate-relevant effects. In general, natural gas comes with known risks in its use. Natural gas has been established internationally and especially in Germany for decades and is associated with appropriate safety precautions. Safety standards for LNG terminals are very high and the arrival of LNG carriers is only permitted by traders if corresponding verifications are available.
The operation of FSRUs is based on technology that has been proven, tested and safe for decades. Before FSRUs were used in Germany in 2023, they had been operated for decades at numerous places around the world as part of the global LNG supply. High safety standards for the processes (regasification, storage, transport) were developed, which also apply to the facilities used in Germany.