RWE questions role of gas in transition

German utility is reviewing its fuel options for new generation capacity as the Ukraine war hits energy markets with full force, CEO Markus Krebber says

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised doubts about the role of natural gas as a bridging fuel in the energy transition in Europe and strengthened the case for hydrogen-fuelled power plants, according to German utility RWE. The company says that, as a result, it will review its options for newbuild flexible power generation to back up intermittent renewables. Before the Ukraine crisis, RWE and other German energy companies had planned significant new investment in gas-fired generation, many with hydrogen-ready turbines, and the government had acknowledged the important role of gas in the transition as a provider of flexible power. “With the phase-out of nuclear and coal, we need flexible ba