Regional and international aspects of energy security

Abstract

Energy security may be defined, generally, as the availability of clean energy sources at affordable prices. If a country or region does not have its own sources of energy in the necessary extent, their energy security is in a long-term threat. To this point, countries seek to achieve diversification of energy sources and transport routes. This is one of the reasons for launching new energy projects in Europe and Asia; the other is an attempt by Russia to consolidate its dominant position on the part of the international energy market; the third factor is the oil transnational corporations. Russia is the dominant natural trading partner and Europe?s energy supplier. Problems with the transit of natural gas and oil from Russia to Europe, which directly threaten its energy security, were the reason to launch the new energy projects.