Germany's leading energy expert says she's living in a nightmare. What's worse, she saw it coming.
For 15 years Claudia Kemfert says she tried to warn politicians in the public that the country was too reliant on Russian energy. Until recently Germany bought more than half of its gas from Russia.
She advised Berlin to find other sources and focus more on renewables. An she want against the construction of the Nord stream one pipeline through which Germany receives much of its gas.
That's what I did over the last 15 years, repeating and repeating and repeating. Hoping that what's happened now would never happen, she says, her frustration evident.
Vladimir putin's decision to, in effect, weaponize Russian gas exports has sent Germany into a tailspin. Moscow has blamed essential maintenance on the nordstream pipeline for a recent reduction, then complete shut off of supply.
Few in Berlin are buying that, Even fewer belief Russia can be trusted to deliver what Germany needs for the coming winter.
Few Berlin are buying that. Even fewer believe Russia can be trusted to deliver what Germany needs for the coming winter.
Germany's coalition government is scrambling to secure alternative energy supplies. It is planning a number of floating terminals for the reception of Liquefied Natural Gas energy.
It is trying to secure supplies from other countries including Qatar. Images of German economy minister and green politician Robert habeck going cap in hand to the Middle East for fossil fuels were greeted with derision by some at home.
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But the government is having to rethink some of its ideals. There is a fierce debate over whether to halt the decommissioning of germany's nuclear power stations. The greens, were part of our love short says coalition government, load nuclear power.
And, having vowed to leave gold behind, Germany is now firing up mothballed power stations: a decision that even Mr Habeck admits is "depressing". It is why at a terminal on the banks of the river Rhine in Duisburg, you will find the air thick with coal dust. Barges, laden with black mounds of coal, unload here with increasing frequency.
The rising demand for coal is good business for the shipping companies here. In fact, there struggling to keep up with orders. But Martina Becker, a manager at HGK shipping, squints out at the river and looks concerned.
For us of course it's good that so much coal is being transported on the water, she says. But it's a fine line because soon industry might have to shutdown if the gas runs out or has to be rationed. Then we could face a recession.
Industry leaders fear that is a realistic prediction too. Without Russian gas, they say the country will face catastrophic consequences. A proposal that would allow businesses to auction surplus gas is under discussion, but time is running out.
Even as Europe sweiters through a heatwave, all eyes are on coming winter.
German gas stores are 66% full but experts say that level needs to rise to 80 to 90% by the start of the so-called heating season.
The German government is urging everyone to save energy, and has even recommended that people take shorter showers. The country is at the second of three emergency alert levels; should the third be triggered, rationing is a possibility.
It is yet another worry for hotelier Robert Tepes, whose business is still recovering from covid shutdowns.
The sound-and smell-of frying meat wafts into his restaurant as he tells me that without gas it would be the death of hospitality: If I don't get gas anymore, we can't cook. The kitchen closes, nothing else we can do. We won't be able to heat. I don't believe it will come to that, but we have to act now because we mustn't let it come to that.
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