Objectives and impact of energy policies

This session shows how the policies implemented by governments have influenced geopolitical issues. For a full understanding, it is better to have studied the eight other Diapason sessions on global energy issues, or corresponding chapters of the book.

Course reference:

• Chapters 5 and 8

To follow the presentation, go to the next step

Energy policy

• energy characteristics
• one of the main factors of development
• rigid sector
• amount of investment and energy distribution constraints
• threats of energy disruption
• impact on the balance of payments
• a twofold approach
• supply
• demand

A dialectical process

• producing countries and energy exporters
• control of the exploitation of the subsoil
• importing countries
• security of supply
• very difficult optimal match
• concerns of sovereignty and national security
• cost and efficiency
• numerous hazards

Main objectives

• energy-importing countries
• reduce the energy content of GDP
• increase the domestic supply of energy
• diversify imports
• exporting countries
• at what rate should it export its energy
• share of exported production compared to that of domestic consumption

Impact of energy policies

• energy supply has greatly increased
• emergence of new producers
• alternative national energy sources
• decrease of energy demand
• structural changes
• energy conservation

Demand management

• progressive effects
• existing fleets (housing, cars)
• high-performance materials or techniques
• improved use of existing equipment
• large potential of energy conservation
• assistance from the State may be needed
• limits the pressure on energy supplies and the environment

GDP and energy consumption in France

index 100 in 1973

Energy intensity of OECD countries

Long-term changes in energy intensities

Diversification of supplies

• limitation of the use of oil
• search for substitutes, even imported ones
• growth of coal and natural gas markets
• diversification of the origin of supplies

OPEC and non-OPEC productions

Objectives and impact of energy policies

This session provided an overview of the main impacts of energy policies.

Among the issues for the future, there is the role played by oil, and sustainability of the observed decoupling between economic growth and energy consumption growth.

This session was the last Diapason session of the course on global energy issues.

Following this overview, you should be familiar with the basic concepts you need to know to tackle these issues, but you still have to put them into practice and gain a deeper understanding of such matters.

The study of the energy situation of a country is a good way to implement these concepts. Chapter 7 of the book offers eleven summary case studies, as well as a section dedicated to the Europe of energy.

The complete reading of the book will afford you a deeper understanding of the topics presented, but this remains insufficient given their scope.

There are however many internet sites dealing with these issues that will provide you with additional information.