STORY: Energy expert highlights Spain's full gas storage as winter comes
SHOOTING TIME: File/Nov. 21, 2023
DATELINE: Nov. 22, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:20
LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain
CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of gas facilities and tanks in the Port of Barcelona, Spain
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): ALBERT BANAL-ESTANOL, Energy expert and economics professor at Barcelona's Pompeu Fabra University
3. various of ships unload LNG at terminals
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Catalan): ALBERT BANAL-ESTANOL, Energy expert and economics professor at Barcelona's Pompeu Fabra University
5. various of gas facilities 

STORYLINE:

As winter approaches, Spain is in a good position regarding its abundant gas reserves while other European Union countries seek to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) to compensate for the reduced supply of Russian natural gas, a Barcelona-based energy expert Albert Banal-Estanol told Xinhua in an interview on Tuesday.

Spain's underground gas storage have been 100 percent full since August, well ahead of the EU's demand for member states to reach 90 percent storage capacity by November as part of the bloc's measures to guarantee supply.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): ALBERT BANAL-ESTANOL, Energy expert and economics professor at Barcelona's Pompeu Fabra University
"In terms of the storage quantity of gas, we shouldn't have any problems because we have reduced our consumption of gas by 20 to 30 percent compared with last year, and also we have improved the infrastructure for imported liquified gas from outside Europe."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Catalan): ALBERT BANAL-ESTANOL, Energy expert and economics professor at Barcelona's Pompeu Fabra University
"In response to the gas shortage, Spain is now using its gas infrastructure for storing lots of gas and even keeping it for resell later if necessary to other countries who might need it."

Meanwhile, the expert also suggested that Spain's long-term goal is to continue to reduce gas consumption and seek for renewable alternatives.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Barcelona, Spain.
(XHTV)