Title: Energy in Europe and in the world

Authors: Andre Maisseu, Antoine Delanoe

Addresses: University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines; President of TEN, COGEMA - BR/DT, 2, rue Paul Dautier, 78141 Velizy Cedex, France. ' Laboratoire de Recherche en Economie et de Gestion des Organisations, University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, 907 La Grande delle, 14200 Herouveille Saint Clair, France

Abstract: The energy situation in the European Union is comparable to a rich mosaic balances of the European Union countries are all different. Different factors contribute featuring as many different situations as there are countries. The structures of energy thereto. Political considerations, such as security of supply and national independence, are extremely important. The cause may derive from physical constraints, such as the relative unavailability of a resource on the national territory. Thus gas occupies a significant place in the Dutch energy balance, whereas this position is occupied by nuclear power in France. Major changes have been observed in recent years in the energy balances of the European Union countries. Electricity and gas have supplanted oil and coal in many fields. Yet the existence of constraints on the oil and gas reserves could jeopardize this trend. The abundant availability of coal could enable this energy to make a comeback in the years to come. Since coal fields and reserves are much better distributed than oil and gas reserves, coal could become an important factor for geopolitical stability. The same applies to nuclear energy and the large availability of uranium, which would be nearly unlimited in the event that MOX fuel and fast breeder reactors become generalized.

Keywords: Europe; European Union; EU energy balance; energy security; oil and gas reserves; coal reserves; geopolitical stability; nuclear energy; nuclear power.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.1995.063499

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 1995 Vol.8 No.1/2/3, pp.6-30

Published online: 15 Jul 2014 *

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