Austria will order industry and utilities to make plants run on alternatives to natural gas where possible, especially oil, its energy minister said on Tuesday, as the country scrambles to hoard gas in case Russia cuts it off. Austria obtains 80% of its natural gas from Russia but most of its electricity comes from hydropower and it uses relatively little gas in power plants. Gas does, however, play an important role in industries like steel and paper, and in heating. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Austria has been seeking alternative sources of gas while racing to fill its gas storage facilities before the heating season begins in autumn. “Power plants and industrial companies will be instructed to upgrade their systems for dual operation to the extent that […]