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> As well they should.

Assuming there is no pressing reason and the wells are dormant, why would it be a good idea to destroy options? I did not fact check these claims though. Maybe there are other reasons to close them. But if it is solely do remove them from equation altogether, it is stupid.



Burning fossil fuels is not a real option, it is a threat to all of humanity that it is horrendous we are not doing more to stop.


Presumably, if technology advances to the point where it is safe to burn fossil fuels again, it will also advance to the point where cement won't stop people from accessing the gas wells.



These are European governments with trillions of dollars of GDPs. They should not be trying to cock block themselves like teenagers in these matters.


Welcome to Europe


Continuing to rely on fossil fuels or use them as a backup is not a serious option.

More Fucked Today Than Yesterday - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49441781 - August 2026

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49425005 (citations)


Gas HAS to be used as a backup for renewables today (or at least in places without good pumped hydro?). Enough batteries to supply an entire grid for a day or two is just out of reach today.

At least in Australia, I'm not sure how the dynamics go with such a geographically diverse grid like Europe.


Yes, certainly, I agree. But, at the same time, we should be electrifying and rapidly deploying storage (both energy and heat) as quickly as possible. "Burn the ships" and commit.

Battery boom brings round-the-clock solar closer, Ember says - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49466337 - August 2026

CATL Secures 2GWh Sodium-Ion Storage Deal with Solarpro for Eastern Europe - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49219960 - August 2026

> Solar PV supplied more than 10% of global electricity in the first half of 2026, but generation remains heavily concentrated around midday. Ember says rapidly expanding, cheaper battery storage could shift 34% of new daily solar generation to non-solar hours in 2026, bringing round-the-clock solar closer.

The World Crossed a Major Solar Milestone [3TW] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49151977 - August 2026

UNIGRID's sodium-ion home battery debuts in Europe, US is next - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48867257 - July 2026

Ember Energy: EU gas demand set to drop 7% by 2030, making new gas investments risky - https://ember-energy.org/latest-updates/eu-gas-demand-set-to... - June 17th, 2025


Looking where USA is and where some EU countries may he going soon (not sure yet, but the risk is there) ... that is why.


I agree, if we were run by people good at weighing short vs long term decisions, but we often are not.

That being said, I do worry that that outcome of this isn't "stop using gas" but "keep using American LNG", which would be worse.




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