MACRON SPEECH. on September 5, Emmanuel Macron in turn called on the French to reduce their energy consumption to avoid gas and electricity rationing. Above all, he unveiled his strategy to deal with the energy crisis.
[Mis à jour le 6 septembre 2022 à 8h42] After leaving his ministers to take care of the file, Emmanuel Macron finally spoke about the energy crisis. The observation made by the Head of State on Monday September 5, 2022 is the same as that of Elisabeth Borne a few days earlier: we must reduce our energy consumption by at least 10%. A call to individuals and businesses to make efforts coupled with a concerning statement: “The solution is in our hands”. Not only to mention the necessary energy savings, the President of the Republic drew up the list of possible solutions to overcome this crisis which threatens winter. He also assured that France is ready for the eventuality of a “complete cut of Russian gas”, a scenario which arouses many fears a few months before the winter season. Reduced to only 4% of the French energy mix, Russian gas is no longer as essential and France will be able to spend the winter without it according to the government.
Emmanuel Macron also took advantage of his speech to recall the excellent filling rates of gas stocks in Europe with “80% of objectives” fulfilled, and a fortiori in France where stocks are 93% full. Emmanuel Macron’s speech insisted on energy sobriety and European cooperation, in particular with Germany. Not surprising when you know that the Head of State addressed the French after his meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Emmanuel Macron’s speech and call for sobriety
This is an expression that comes up more and more often: energy sobriety. In his speech of September 5, 2022 Emmanuel Macron followed in the footsteps of the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, and the Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, by calling for “an active mobilization plan to save 10% of what we usually consume”. An effort in which companies but also individuals will have to participate. The objective is achievable without radically changing its comfort according to the Head of State for whom it is enough to “lower the air conditioning or to settle in a heating reference of 19 degrees in the room”. More than efforts, Emmanuel Macron speaks of the need to “avoid going towards something more coercive” such as “rationing” or “cuts” of gas and electricity.
Emmanuel Macron prefers energy diversification to Russian gas
Moscow can decide on a “complete cut” of Russian gas deliveries, France is prepared. If Russian gas represented 50% of European supply, today this share has fallen to 9% and 4% for France. Emmanuel Macron also indicated in his speech that the country will work on the diversification of energy sources and “seek other gas suppliers” such as Norway or Algeria. If the diversification passes by the multiplication of the suppliers it will also be ensured by the recourse to various sources of energy in particular electricity. To “electrify” resources, Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to turn to “more renewable, nuclear and sobriety”. In addition to diversification, the Head of State advocates European cooperation and the common purchase of gas in Europe, a commercial strategy that would allow countries to buy their energy cheaper.
Emmanuel Macron’s pro-European speech on energy
Emmanuel Macron’s speech underlined the importance of European cooperation in the face of the energy crisis. Mutual aid which, in addition to group purchases of gas, would organize exchanges between the producing countries or correctly supplied with gas and those capable of supplying electricity. As an example Emmanuel Macron chose to mention possible Franco-German exchanges: “Germany needs our gas and we need the electricity produced elsewhere in Europe and in particular in Germany”. Technical arrangements are also being made to give life to these exchanges. “We are going to finalize the gas connections to be able to deliver gas to Germany (…) if there was a need for solidarity. [En retour, l’Allemagne] will put itself in a position to produce more electricity and bring it to us in peak situations”, specified the President of the Republic.