diff --git a/linopy/__init__.py b/linopy/__init__.py
index 7f5acd46..415950eb 100644
--- a/linopy/__init__.py
+++ b/linopy/__init__.py
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@
 from linopy.model import Model, Variable, Variables, available_solvers
 from linopy.objective import Objective
 from linopy.piecewise import breakpoints
-from linopy.remote import OetcHandler, RemoteHandler
+from linopy.remote import RemoteHandler
+
+try:
+    from linopy.remote import OetcCredentials, OetcHandler, OetcSettings  # noqa: F401
+except ImportError:
+    pass
 
 __all__ = (
     "Constraint",
diff --git a/linopy/model.py b/linopy/model.py
index 7b8396f4..049093de 100644
--- a/linopy/model.py
+++ b/linopy/model.py
@@ -67,7 +67,12 @@
     add_disjunctive_piecewise_constraints,
     add_piecewise_constraints,
 )
-from linopy.remote import OetcHandler, RemoteHandler
+from linopy.remote import RemoteHandler
+
+try:
+    from linopy.remote import OetcHandler
+except ImportError:
+    OetcHandler = None  # type: ignore
 from linopy.solver_capabilities import SolverFeature, solver_supports
 from linopy.solvers import (
     IO_APIS,
diff --git a/linopy/remote/__init__.py b/linopy/remote/__init__.py
index 0ae1df26..d3d5e162 100644
--- a/linopy/remote/__init__.py
+++ b/linopy/remote/__init__.py
@@ -8,9 +8,13 @@
 - OetcHandler: Cloud-based execution via OET Cloud service
 """
 
-from linopy.remote.oetc import OetcCredentials, OetcHandler, OetcSettings
 from linopy.remote.ssh import RemoteHandler
 
+try:
+    from linopy.remote.oetc import OetcCredentials, OetcHandler, OetcSettings
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+
 __all__ = [
     "RemoteHandler",
     "OetcHandler",
diff --git a/linopy/remote/oetc.py b/linopy/remote/oetc.py
index 5bea9c7c..ee94fd43 100644
--- a/linopy/remote/oetc.py
+++ b/linopy/remote/oetc.py
@@ -9,10 +9,15 @@
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from enum import Enum
 
-import requests
-from google.cloud import storage
-from google.oauth2 import service_account
-from requests import RequestException
+try:
+    import requests
+    from google.cloud import storage
+    from google.oauth2 import service_account
+    from requests import RequestException
+
+    _oetc_deps_available = True
+except ImportError:
+    _oetc_deps_available = False
 
 import linopy
 
@@ -85,6 +90,11 @@ class JobResult:
 
 class OetcHandler:
     def __init__(self, settings: OetcSettings) -> None:
+        if not _oetc_deps_available:
+            raise ImportError(
+                "The 'google-cloud-storage' and 'requests' packages are required "
+                "for OetcHandler. Install them with: pip install linopy[oetc]"
+            )
         self.settings = settings
         self.jwt = self.__sign_in()
         self.cloud_provider_credentials = self.__get_cloud_provider_credentials()
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 0f5bd326..aaac2cf1 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ dependencies = [
     "tqdm",
     "deprecation",
     "packaging",
-    "google-cloud-storage",
-    "requests",
 ]
 
 [project.urls]
@@ -46,6 +44,10 @@ Homepage = "https://github.com/PyPSA/linopy"
 Source = "https://github.com/PyPSA/linopy"
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
+oetc = [
+    "google-cloud-storage",
+    "requests",
+]
 docs = [
     "ipython==8.26.0",
     "numpydoc==1.7.0",
diff --git a/test/remote/test_oetc.py b/test/remote/test_oetc.py
index d937e376..0704d24d 100644
--- a/test/remote/test_oetc.py
+++ b/test/remote/test_oetc.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@
 from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
 
 import pytest
-import requests
-from requests import RequestException
 
-from linopy.remote.oetc import (
+requests = pytest.importorskip("requests")
+from requests import RequestException  # noqa: E402
+
+from linopy.remote.oetc import (  # noqa: E402
     AuthenticationResult,
     ComputeProvider,
     GcpCredentials,
diff --git a/test/remote/test_oetc_job_polling.py b/test/remote/test_oetc_job_polling.py
index 96ec98b4..4b2681f9 100644
--- a/test/remote/test_oetc_job_polling.py
+++ b/test/remote/test_oetc_job_polling.py
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@
 from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
 
 import pytest
-from requests import RequestException
 
-from linopy.remote.oetc import (
+requests = pytest.importorskip("requests")
+from requests import RequestException  # noqa: E402
+
+from linopy.remote.oetc import (  # noqa: E402
     AuthenticationResult,
     ComputeProvider,
     OetcCredentials,