Security of Energy Supplies

Natural gas is more plentiful and more widespread geographically than oil, but already some major basins are becoming exhausted e.g., the North Sea.). This is leading to a build-up of the liquefied natural gas industry. Gas found in remote areas of the globe is liquefied and shipped in cryogenic tankers to centres of population. Such activity requires the construction of export/import terminals in many different countries. 

The assorted pathways to electricity generation will be adopted to varying degrees by different countries, as dictated by the associated costs, by politics and by national priorities. Where there are rich indigenous deposits of fossil fuels, governments will prefer to use these and, where not, will draw upon a diversity of primary energy sources to provide a secure future. 

The effect on climate of mankind s overwhelming reliance on fossil fuels is the second major energy-related issue now facing the world. Arguably, its resolution 

Serious issues associated with almost all initiatives proposed for combating climate change (whether they involve building new nuclear reactors, capturing and storing carbon dioxide or exploiting renewable forms of energy) relate to 

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There are two major concerns about the future of the energy sector security of energy supply and climate change (due to greenhouse-gas emissions, mainly CO2).1 Figure 2.1 demonstrates why. Global primary energy use per capita has increased... 

Abstract Usually security of energy supply means diversified provisions and... 

The security of energy supplies constitutes the cornerstone of the security of any nation. The recent history of relationships between the Western countries and countries in the Middle East provides a sound proof thereof. Proceeding from the experience of over-dependence on the energy supplies from the Middle East the United States and the European Union have set a rule of having at least three suppliers as a pre-condition for assuring their energy security. This scheme has proved itself to be a very effective mechanism for several decades. But, this is not the case for countries within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - in the post Soviet space. 

Diversity of purveyors, transport system and also diversity of sources contribute significantly to security of energy supply and less dependence on monopoly distributor of fossil fuels and primary energy sources can significantly help economical prosperity of regions without own sources, e.g. South Caucasus, Balkans, Central and East Europe. It also helps to avoid different commercial and/or political pressure on the final consumer. From this reason a possibility of using different ways of fossil fuels transport will be discussed. 

Actions that are likely to significantly reduce investor risks - and thus improve the security of energy supply - should include ... 

The benefits provided by renewables enhanced security of energy supply, improved social equity, fueled by locally available resources, can be designed to meet local needs, reduced threat of climate change, stimulation... 

Hydrogen first gained attention in the European Union in 2000 with the "Green Paper" on security of energy supply, when hydrogen was nominated... 

European Commission. 2000. "Towards a European Strategy for the Security of Energy Supply."... 

Following the oil crisis in 1973, the world saw the need to develop bio-fuels to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and hence improve the security of energy supply, especially for non-oil producing coimtries. This need is now more urgent still, due to the fact that world supplies of petroleum and natural gas are likely to run out within the next 42 and 63 years respectively if no new reserves are discovered. 

Furthermore, 75% of these fossil-based resources are concentrated in a few OPEC countries and, under these circumstances, oil prices are more likely to remain unstable and are now hovering around US 123/barrel. It is estimated that the price of crude oil is likely to exceed US 170/barrel by the end of the year 2010. This situation cannot be sustained. The development of alternative energy resources will help stabilize oil prices and improve the security of energy supply for non-oil producing nations. The development and production of liquid bio-flxels, which has been ongoing since the oil crises of 1973, should contribute towards the attainment of this goal. 

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