Brussels, 06/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power by 2022 clearly means that the country will need more gas to meet its energy requirements, hinted EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger at a conference in Vienna on Monday 6 June. “We will need more gas. After Berlin's decision, gas will be a driver of growth”' he said, mentioning the Nabucco pan-European gas pipeline from Turkey to Austria that will supply gas to the EU by 2017 from central Asia and the Caspian Sea area. Germany is planning to shut down the last three of its 17 nuclear power stains in 2022, and will need to increase its electricity grid, interconnections, storage capacity and renewable energy generation, said Oettinger. The Commissioner said Germany's energy policy would only work if there are improvements alongside the phasing out of nuclear power. At present, the German government is planning a 10% reduction in electricity consumption by 2020, increasing the percentage of Germany's power consumption generated from renewables to 35% over the same time period. (E.H./transl.fl)