the energy situation in europe

[Adrian]

russia uses the fact that they are the largest suppliers of enegry as a political wepon.
dow you think europe will ever break the dependecy on russian energy?

[Aristophanes]

russia uses the fact that they are the largest suppliers of enegry as a political wepon.
dow you think europe will ever break the dependecy on russian energy?

It could be a while. Natural gas is just such a useful and easy combustible for heating and energy generation...

[Tiwaz]

Well, once economical alternative is found.

Russia can only twist the energy card as long as other options do not become competitive.

So I guess we are stuck until ITER guys get their fusion reactor running.

[RusskiSoldat]

Azerbaijan seems to be coming up as a viable alternative.
I think that all this anti Russian sentiment is paranoia left over from the cold war days.
All Russia is seeking to do now is normalize gas prices for all (until recently, we were subsidizing Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia as if those nations were a part of Russia. As soon as a nation becomes independent, it is no one's duty to sponsor it).

[Nick_Since_1985]

We should yust build Nucliar Reactors. They are good for the enviroment and don't produce CO2.

Sure I hear you all shout Tjernobyl (or something like it). But don't forget that Tjernobyl was run by the Sovjets in 1987 and they didn't have money for anything. Also alot off 'stuff' went wrong in Tjernobyl wich triggerd the events we know today (I'am reffering to the National Geographic documentuary about Tjernobyl), all cause by bad managment (Sovjets)

[Tiwaz]

Azerbaijan seems to be coming up as a viable alternative.
I think that all this anti Russian sentiment is paranoia left over from the cold war days.
All Russia is seeking to do now is normalize gas prices for all (until recently, we were subsidizing Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia as if those nations were a part of Russia. As soon as a nation becomes independent, it is no one's duty to sponsor it).

In all honesty Europe does not care a bit what Russia is trying to do. What interests Europe is that there are disruptions in gas supply, caused by Russian diplomatic problems, and that means trouble in Europe.

Europe wants it's energy on time, on agreed amount and all the time. If deliverer fails to do that...

[Erik]

russia uses the fact that they are the largest suppliers of enegry as a political wepon.

Not really.
The EU and Russia are mutually dependent.
The EU needs Russian gas to keep it's economy running.
Russia needs the flow of gas money from Europe to keep it's head above the waves.
Relationships between the two are generally very good.

The problems you hear about are between Russia and it's former soviet states (mainly the Ukraine and Belarus).
It is those states who use Russian gas as a political weapon.
When they (threaten to) close the pipelines they put pressure on both Russia and the EU.

I think we just need more pipelines to serve as alternatives.
Trough the Baltic states, for example. (although that will mean the Baltic states will use it to claim a voice at the EU, something Germany doesn't want).

dow you think europe will ever break the dependecy on russian energy?

Not for at least half a century.
Alternative energy sources are nice and all, but they won't completely replace Russian gas in the near future.
Best we can do is lower our dependency so a cut-off won't be catastrophic.

We should yust build Nucliar Reactors.

And become dependent on Russian Uranium instead?
Or do you know of a different country with enough Uranium to fuel the EU economy?