- The Writer holds聽an MSc in Eurasian Political Economy & Energy聽from King鈥檚 College London and聽also an聽MA in European Studies from Sabanc谋 University.
As one of the world鈥檚 major energy consumers, the European Union encounters challenges in securing its energy demand. The EU鈥檚 main challenges to security of supply can be listed as follows:
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 rapid increase in energy demand,
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 energy resources competition,
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 political instability of energy producing countries,
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 fragmented energy market within the EU,
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 green house gas emissions.
If these main energy challenges described above are resolved, Europe鈥檚 energy supplies will be guaranteed. However, as long as energy security issues are approached at national level rather than at EU level, the ultimate goals of this energy security strategy will not be realized. As a result, the failure to speak with one voice at EU level will undermine any strategies pursued by the Union.
When it comes to Turkey鈥檚 energy supply challenges, the country faces many which are similar to the EU. Like Europe, Turkey has a high dependency on imported energy resources but they also both face problems with guarantees of energy supplies, issues with energy sector investments and ailing infrastructures.
Additionally, if challenges with rapidly increasing energy demand and higher energy dependency on fossil fuels are taken into consideration, Turkey and the EU face similar obstacles. The European Commission鈥檚 鈥楨uropean Energy Security Strategy鈥� paper (2014) states that the EU imports 53.8 percent of its total energy demand. In terms of crude oil, the EU imports 90 percent of its total consumption, whereas its dependency on natural gas is about 66 percent. Solid fuel and nuclear fuel imports are 42 percent and 40 percent respectively as of 2013. Given such high reliance on primary energy sources, the EU鈥檚 heavy dependence on imports puts its energy supply security at risk and makes it vulnerable to external shocks. This is particularly valid for Eastern Europe and the Baltic region.
According to the Petroleum Pipeline Cooperation鈥檚 (BOTA艦) 2015 report, Turkey imported 89 percent of its oil and 99 percent of its natural gas, which makes Turkey also heavily dependent on external sources for its energy needs.
Another challenge that both Turkey and the EU face is with aging energy infrastructure which needs to be either upgraded or replaced. Furthermore, they both need new energy investments to increase storage capacity levels to cope in the event of energy shortages.
The Energy Commission states that in the coming years Europe will need one trillion euro to repair its old energy infrastructure and install new capacities to cope with rising energy demand. In order to meet these challenges that the energy field poses today, the European Union and Turkey need to come up with ambitious and robust strategies.
As a result of economic expansion, social development and enlargement, the EU鈥檚 energy demand has risen steadily in the last two decades. Given the fact that EU member states have limited energy resources and taking into account that, as of 2013, 90 percent of crude oil and 66 percent of natural gas is imported, the security of energy supply emerges as a main challenge. Therefore, diversification of energy sources and routes, the necessity for energy savings and the increase in the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption have been suggested as solutions to meet the security of energy supply challenges.
Energy savings and renewable energy sources are linked to the internal energy market in the EU; however, diversification of external energy sources, suppliers and supply routes must also be tackled. In this regard, Turkey provides alternative routes to the EU鈥檚 energy market to meet its energy needs.
Crude oil pipelines such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, the Kirkuk-Yumurtal谋k and natural gas pipelines including the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline, the Blue Stream and the planned Trans-Anatolian pipeline (TANAP) project could offer alternative sources of supply to secure the EU鈥檚 energy needs. As a result, Turkey could play an important role in securing energy for the European market through diversification.
Additionally, Europe鈥檚 fragmented energy market, with each member state holding different economic and geostrategic approaches, currently prevents the EU from pursuing a common energy policy and strengthening Europe鈥檚 position in the global energy market. For these reasons, Turkey can play a valuable role in securing the energy supply for the EU in the years ahead.聽
- Opinions expressed in this piece are the author鈥檚 own and do not necessarily reflect Anadolu Agency's editorial policy