Energy security

Research on energy security by the Energy Program (ENE) centers around applying the formal conceptual framework for evaluating energy security in long-term energy scenarios. The framework was established by ENE researcher Jessica Jewell in collaboration with colleagues from the Central European University (CEU, Hungary).

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The framework for energy security research defines energy security as low vulnerability of vital energy systems, delineated along geographic and sectoral boundaries.

Vulnerability is considered in the framework to be a combination of risks associated with inter-regional energy trade and resilience reflected in energy intensity and diversity of energy sources and technologies.

In 2013 the research framework was applied by integrated assessment teams from the USA, Asia, and Europe within the LIMITS project of the EU 7th Framework Programme to explore co-benefits between climate mitigation and energy security.

Preliminary findings from the research show that low-carbon scenarios are associated with lower energy trade and higher diversity of energy options, especially in the transport sector. A few risks emerging under low-carbon scenarios include potentially high trade in natural gas (medium-term) and hydrogen (long-term) as well as low diversity of electricity sources in the long-term.

Findings from the study will be published in a Special Issue of Climate Change Economics in 2014.

Collaborators

Central European University (CEU), Hungary.



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Last edited: 22 May 2014

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Jessica Jewell

Guest Research Scholar Cooperation and Transformative Governance Research Group - Advancing Systems Analysis Program

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International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313