The goal of achieving Energy Security

Energy Security → 🔗The uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price

↳ It is comprised of the following aspects:

Long term energy security - Deals w/ timely investments to supply energy in line w/ economic developments & environmental needs

• Short-term energy security Focuses on the ability of the energy system to react promptly to sudden changes in the balance between energy demand & supply The consumption of energy is constantly rising as a result of development, rising living standards & population growth

Consumption & Energy Mix

↳ Expressed using the following units:

• Kilograms of oil equivalent per year (kgoe/yr)
• Gigajoules ($10^{9}$ joules) per year (GJ/yr)
• Exajoules ($10^{18}$joules) per year (EJ/yr)
• Megawatt hours per year (MWh/yr)

Energy Intensity

↳ A way of measuring how efficiently energy is being used

• Calculated as units of energy used per unit of GDP
  • A high energy intensity indicates a high price/cost of converting energy to GDP

Energy Mix

↳ The energy mix of a country is the proportion of each primary energy resource used per yr:

• The world energy mix is dominated by non-renewable fossil fuels
  • But, most developed countries are transitioning from fossil fuels → renewable energy
• Renewable energy technologies are still developing an dso poorer countries mostly have small proportions of their energy mix of this type
• Oil use is slowing, coal is being replaced, renewables are growing as costs decline & electrical energy is increasing
• Many countries depend on imported energy supplies as well as their own domestic supplies

Access to and Consumption of Energy

Physical Availability

• Long-term geological processes determine where fossil fuel resources are found
  • Exporting makes fossil fuels available to other countries
• Climate affects availability of some renewable e nergy resources
  • Clear skies = solar energy
  • Constant wind = wind power
• HEP needs rivers & deep valleys for reservoirs

Cost

• Very expensive at all stages
  • But often these costs are passed on to consumers who may not be able to afford these and ∴ use less electricity out of desperation
  • Allows for divide - wealthier people in more developed countries consume more energy

Public Perception

• Differing perceptions of energy needs based on lifestyle
  • Travelling, quality of home life, needs due to climate (AC)

Level of Economic Development

• Despite a country having access or climatic conditions that produce energy, it still needs the technology to be able to extract & develop it
• Many developing countries require external assistance for technology to generate energy
• If a country's level of development is lower, there may not be demand for energy so no incentive to develop the resources

Environmental Priorities

↳ Cultures will view the natural environment differently

• Some see nature as a provider of resources
• Others are concerned about the serious damage that can be caused by extracting energy resources

Energy Players

Energy Pathway → A route taken by any form of energy from its source to the point of consumption

↳ Energy players secure energy pathways & control prices

PLAYER	ROLE
TNCs	● Seen as the biggest players (eg. BP in UK) as they can invest in large-scale projects which many countries cannot afford ● Can also bypass political tensions, access restricted sources and invest in local infrastructure ● Control most oil & gas exploration, extraction, refining & distribution (∴ a big player) ● Provide the link between where resources are situated & who wants to use them ● TNC's construct pipelines, own tankers that transport oil and gas to refinery areas or demand areas and they make a lot of revenue from prospecting, extraction, transport and refinement of energy resources ● They prioritise making energy resources available to keep trade flowing through established pathways in order to maintain their profits ● Profit often used for exploration of more oil reserves (often unconventional & ∴ more expensive to extract eg. in deeper water GAZPROM • Russian owned ● Their input makes up 40% of the EU's total gas supply & 32% of its oil supply Negatives: ● Can take advantage of the local's lack of power ● Abundance of money means they can 'buy' gov's loyalty Shell in Nigeria (Ogoni tribe)
OPEC	OPEC → The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries is a permanent intergovernmental organisation of 13 oil-exporting developing nations ↳ The OPEC mission is to unify the petroleum policies of its members to ensure the stability of oil markets and create efficient and regular supplies of oil to consumers, steady income for producers and a fair return for investors. Why is it so powerful? ● Has around 78% of the world's oil reserves ● Produced around 45% of the world's crude oil & 15% of natural gas ● Has the power to significantly affect oil prices by ↑ or ↓ in production Why is it's influence not as strong as possible? Some oil producers have not joined the organisation eg. Russia, US etc ● Protect the interests of member countries ● Stabilise oil prices and limit price fluctuations ● Ensure efficient, economic and regular supply of oil to consuming nations
Energy companies	● Convert primary energy and distribute it ● Most involved in both gas & electricity distribution & have a considerable influence over consumer prices & tariffs
Consumers	● Known as 'passive players' in terms of fixing energy prices, but influence supply through the demand they create ● Demand & attitudes of the people w/in various countries will determine what type of energy the country will use ● Eg. China have become bigger importers of oil since their population have become consumerists ● Pressure groups • anti-fracking

	● Consumers can also make decisions which can be damaging for energy companies such as purchasing an electric car
Governments	● Responsible for national energy security & protecting energy pathways ● Provide legislation on emission levels and costs for consumers ● Ie. subsidising the use of renewable energy ● Gain taxes and also act to protect energy pathways to and from the country