Title: Natural gas - forward-looking energy supply

Authors: Gisbert F. Faust

Addresses: Head of Department, EU Representative, Ruhrgas AG, Germany; EU Repersentation: 123-133 rue Froissart, 1040 Brussels, Belgium

Abstract: Natural gas has played a role in the energy balances of western Europe (EU and EFTA) for just over 30 years now. The modest beginnings in the early 1960s resulted in a dynamic development. Consumption has quadrupled since 1970 alone. In 1994 it totalled 265 million tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe), i.e. 19% of primary energy consumption (PEC), with the European Union accounting for 244 mtoe (20.5% of PEC). According to recent forecasts from the International Energy Agency (IEA), world gas consumption is expected - depending on the scenario - to lie between 1,830 and 1,970 mtoe in the year 2000 and between 2,360 and 2,700 mote in 2010. On Maastricht II, it can be stated that the Treaty already contains everything that the Union needs to live up to its responsibility. Internal market policy, competition law, legal approximation, environmental protection, Trans-European Networks, taxation and R&D are some of the areas. The EU thus possesses instruments enabling it to make its contribution to the great goals of security of supply, competitiveness, environmental and climate protection and thus pave the way for growth and employment.

Keywords: energy efficiency; Europe; energy policy; long-term prospects; natural gas; environment protection; resources; energy supply; energy security.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.1995.063419

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 1995 Vol.8 No.1/2/3, pp.61-70

Published online: 14 Jul 2014 *

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