Shena Britzen, manager at Rheinmetall, warns that Europe's fuel reserves would only cover three months of conflict.

Europe has approximately 60 refineries, essential for fuel supply. In an interview, Shena Britzen, manager at Rheinmetall, emphasizes that current reserves would only be sufficient for three months in the event of a conflict. Without fuel, both the military and civil infrastructure cannot operate efficiently. Britzen mentions that military vehicles, such as Leopard 2 tanks, have a high diesel consumption, and replacing them with electric solutions would be impractical due to the weight of the batteries.

In the case of a prolonged war, fuel depots would quickly deplete, and attacks on refineries could severely affect a state's defense capability. As a solution, Britzen proposes the development of a decentralized European synthetic fuel production system, using green hydrogen and renewable energy sources. This would involve building autonomous "energy islands" capable of producing local diesel and kerosene.

The costs for implementing this solution are high, estimated at around 400 billion euros at the European level, with a significant contribution from Germany. Although prices may decrease over time, political support is essential to accelerate production. Britzen emphasizes that the lack of fuel affects not only the military but also hospitals and emergency services, making energy independence a matter of national security. The conclusion of the interview is clear: Europe must quickly transform its energy system to avoid a serious crisis in the event of conflict.