Germany's Energy Diversification: From Dependence on Russian Gas to LNG and Hydrogen – Risks and Economic Costs

<jats:p>The article examines Germany's energy diversification process after 2022 – the transition from decadeslong dependence on Russian pipeline gas to LNG imports and the accelerated development of hydrogen infrastructure. The study aims to assess not only the geopolitical benefits but also the hidden economic costs and new risks arising from this shift in the energy model. Based on an analysis of statistical data from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) and relevant German authorities for 2021–2025, the paper traces the changing structure of gas imports, showing the reduction of Russia's share to zero and the reorientation towards suppliers from Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the USA. Particular attention is paid to the unprecedented expansion of floating LNG terminal capacities and the emergence of a new dependency – on American liquefied gas and the volatile spot market. The study examines Germany's updated hydrogen strategy, revealing its key contradiction: the focus on large-scale imports of "green" hydrogen and its derivatives (ammonia, methanol) merely shifts energy dependence to a new technological level without solving the problem of strategic autonomy. The article concludes that while diversification has strengthened the political security of supply, it has been accompanied by structurally higher gas prices, volatility, the threat of deindustrialization in energy-intensive industries, and the need for unprecedented budgetary subsidies. The transformation of Germany's energy model demonstrates that increased supply security comes at the cost of significant economic burdens and the formation of new types of external dependencies.</jats:p>