Europe is grappling with an energy crisis fueled by geopolitical tensions, requiring urgent infrastructure changes. Experts highlight Denmark's success in renewable energy since the 1970s as a model for decarbonization. Unity among European nations is essential for enhancing energy security, and initiatives like the Northern Seas Treaty are crucial. Cybersecurity threats from adversarial nations pose significant risks to energy infrastructures. The discussion also emphasizes avoiding new dependencies on unreliable suppliers and fostering innovation and cooperation for sustainable energy.
Europe must enhance energy resilience through international cooperation and diversified supplies to navigate geopolitical tensions and achieve net-zero goals.
Denmark's successful transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy illustrates the importance of government investment and strategic industrial policy in energy security.
Deep dives
Global Energy Crisis and Its Impact on Europe
The ongoing global energy crisis has highlighted the urgent need for Europe to reevaluate its energy systems and dependencies. Following the war in Ukraine, energy security has rapidly shifted from a specialized concern to a central socio-political issue, making the awareness of supply vulnerabilities crucial. Countries with a history of reliance on Russia have excelled in diversifying their energy supplies and enhancing infrastructure security, showcasing a high level of integration among public sectors, intelligence agencies, and private industries. This proactive communication and preparedness have positioned these nations to manage the ongoing challenges more effectively than others that previously took energy security less seriously.
Lessons from Denmark's Energy Transition
Denmark's experience in energy transition provides an insightful model for other nations facing energy crises. Originating from the oil crises of the 1970s, Denmark transformed its energy reliance from fossil fuels to a focus on renewable sources, notably wind energy. This initiative was heavily supported by government investments and a deliberate industrial policy aimed at renewable energy development and efficiency. These efforts resulted in substantial technological advancements, allowing Denmark to significantly lower energy costs while enhancing its energy security and sustainability.
Challenges of Cybersecurity and Critical Mineral Dependencies
The interconnectedness of European energy systems has unveiled significant vulnerabilities, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity and supply chain dependencies. Recent cyber attacks, including one that disabled a large number of German wind turbines, emphasize the urgency to protect critical energy infrastructure. Concurrently, the dependence on China for critical minerals poses a strategic risk, as it could weaponize this dominance during geopolitical tensions. To mitigate these risks, experts advocate for developing alternative materials, fostering innovation, and deepening engagements with countries in the global south to secure essential raw materials.
Europe’s energy system is entering a period of radical change. The net-zero transition will require a significant overhaul of our infrastructure and our supply chains, right when geopolitical tensions are forcing the continent to find new sources of oil and gas and develop new networks of energy collaboration with allies. In this special podcast episode produced by POLITICO Studio for Equinor, we explore these changes and their impact on energy policy across the continent.
Vulnerabilities of Europe’s energy supply range from cyberattacks on energy infrastructure, to securing access to critical minerals – but crises can be turned into opportunities. Building overall energy resilience requires not independence, but interdependence, as countries pool resources to ensure security through international cooperation and diversified energy supplies that will bring them closer to net zero and secure long-term energy supply.
Hear from Alberic Mongrenier, executive director at the European Initiative for Energy Security; Jeppe Kofod, Denmark’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Evan Fuery, senior vice president for corporate security and crisis management at Equinor; and James Appathurai, assistant secretary general for innovation, hybrid and cyber at NATO, on the ambitious steps countries are taking to future-proof their energy systems.