Europe's energy Shortage



Costs of energy are causing factories across Europe to shutter. July saw the largest drop in industrial production in Europe in two years, and now the situation is in crisis mode. The governments across Europe have earmarked nearly 500 billion euros to combat the rising cost of energy. To control costs, Germany has, for instance been nationalized Uniper, its utility company.



Europe's energy crisis



The energy security crisis in Europe is a significant issue that affects all of Europe. The continent's energy security crisis is a serious issue despite the abundance of natural coal, gas and resources of uranium. It relies on foreign sources of energy for its energy needs. European energy production has been hampered by anti-nuclear policies and anti-fossilfuel policies.


There are many options to solve Europe's energy security issues. One method is to create market conditions for energy production. This is a more sustainable alternative to imposing excess taxation on the profits of energy companies. Europe is currently going through major changes to the market for energy. Although it's probably not the first option to consider, it is currently the most cost-effective option to cut energy costs and improve energy security.


The European Union must confront deep differences among its member states regarding nuclear energy. Nuclear power could decrease the dependence on Russian energy sources and aid the European Union meet its climate goals. Many people in Central and Eastern Europe, however, disapprove of the German government's anti-nuclear position. The United States could also regain some of the market share lost by Rosatom due to its anti-nuclear position.



Issues that arise from its dependence on Russian fossil fuels



Germany has recently halted an unpopular gas pipeline project which was scheduled to increase Russian gas supplies to Germany. These developments haven't changed the fact that Europe remains heavily dependent on Russian oil. Fortunately, the European Union is making plans to become more self-sufficient this sector. The European Commission will announce next week its plans to become energy independent.


The EU should diversify its energy portfolio and move away from Russian natural gas. Its energy policy is more forward-thinking than the United States' and other major powers'. Additionally, it is more focused on the global community instead of nationalistic petty partisanship. Its policies reflect global climate change, as well as the need to gradually transition from hydrocarbons to renewable energy sources.


Even though Russia and the EU have a common energy cost however, the EU still relies on Russian energy for a huge portion of its energy requirements. Most of Russia's gas is transported through Eastern Europe via Soviet-era pipelines. While Moscow has been seeking to build new pipelines, they will only supply just a portion of the energy consumed in Europe.



Solutions to the Crisis



There are many possible solutions to Europe's energy shortage. The government has taken a variety of approaches to the problem, ranging between granting fuel subsidies and decreasing consumption taxes to passing on the higher wholesale price to the industry. The solutions will not be successful without the involvement of businesses. Untargeted assistance may seem politically beneficial, but it could undo the incentives consumers have to conserve energy.


The first step to resolving Europe's energy crisis is to determine the root of the problem. The most significant issue is that the EU has not yet tackled the root cause of the issue. Russia is being blamed by European leaders for reducing the pipelines that carry gas. The continent has experienced a surge in electric bills and shortages of gas. In order to compensate for this the rising costs, many nations have increased the usage of coal and fuel oil.


There is also the possibility of looking into an array of natural gas resources. European nations heavily depend on natural gas from Russia. However, the price of gas has increased more than tenfold since the early 2000s. Gas demand is elasticity and any increase in the supply of gas won't result in a decrease in the demand for consumer goods.


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