Europe’s fragile energy future

Wind turbines operating near the Eemshaven port, a key liquefied natural gas terminal in the Netherlands, in this file photo. The Netherlands rushed to build a terminal for liquefied natural gas imports at Eemshaven after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. — ©2025 The New York Times Company

AT a newly built dock along Germany’s Elbe River, tankers from the United States unload liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel factories and homes. In central Spain, wind turbines cresting mountain ranges power the national grid.

Meanwhile, in French government buildings, thermostats remain lowered in winter to save electricity.Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine sparked a continent-wide energy crisis, Europe has radically transformed how it generates and stores power.