Germany is moving too slowly to reach the 30 gigawatts (GW) of gas turbine capacity needed to stabilize its distribution grid by 2030, GE Gas Power Vice President of Strategy Martin O'Neill said, Reuters reports.

Gas turbines can provide a rapid increase in supply, he said, but support services for the grids are needed to smooth out supply fluctuations in the coming years.

Only 4 GW is in the planning stages, while the time required for planning, permitting and infrastructure construction is five years, he said, citing a Frontier Economics report.

Experiencing a shortfall in Russian energy exports, Germany is filling short-term gaps by supplying more coal and nuclear power than planned as part of a long-term deployment of renewable energy aimed at meeting climate goals and, ultimately, independence from imports.

O'Neill also noted the longevity of gas turbines. They are a conduit for natural gas, he said, but could be repurposed for low- and no-carbon fuels in the future.