International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol said Europe could face higher gas prices this winter in an interview with Al Jazeera published Oct. 22. He said energy is increasingly a source of leverage in international rivalries and criticized governments for maintaining too narrow a range of supply options.
A Sept. 23 Goldman Sachs outlook projected a fourth-quarter 2026 average of €70 per megawatt-hour for European gas if Persian Gulf liquefied natural gas exports recovered gradually. The estimate was cited in earlier EconoTimes coverage of European gas prices. That outlook put exports at 15% to 25% of prewar volumes at the time.
Goldman Sachs also said prices might need to rise above €100 per megawatt-hour during peak winter demand if exports remained very low, to discourage LNG purchases elsewhere. Goldman Sachs said the higher price threshold could make more LNG cargoes available to Europe, though buyers would pay more.
