The development of human society is inextricably linked to the use of our planet's natural resources, with the consumption of various types of energy in ever-increasing scale. All the achievements of modern civilization - a huge variety of goods, different in speed and comfort, transportation, space travel, etc., are possible thanks to the huge amount of artificial energy, which produces humanity.
The basis for the production of thermal and electric energy is the process of burning fossil fuels -coal, oil, gas. The scale of the production and consumption of fossil fuels, metals, water, air for the production of essential humanity of the huge amount of energy and resources, is limited.
Particularly acute problem of rapid exhaustion of reserves of organic natural energy resources, as most resources are not renewable, while there is only a noticeable amount of them. Technological progress is determined by the energy development of the country. Energy is the most important sector of the national economy, covering energy resources, production, conversion, transmission and use of various types of energy. This is the basis of the economy. Further aggravation of the problems of energy security has forced the EU to revisit the problems of energy supply.
Energy efficiency and conservation are the priority directions of energy policy in most countries of the world. This is due to the exhaustion of non-renewable energy resources, the lack of real alternatives to replace them, the presence of risks in their production and transportation. In recent years, these factors are becoming increasingly important in connection with the general instability in the regions of extraction of fuel - energy resources, and the voltage at the fuel resource markets and the unfavorable predictions of further growth in energy prices. (Tomain, 2011) Developed countries, primarily EU countries that have already achieved significant success in addressing issues of energy efficiency, continue to search for new sources of supply and to develop energy conservation measures. (Bochniarz and Cohen, 2007) Given the situation, which is today, the solution of these problems will occur in conditions of general instability in the world, including in the fuel and resource markets, and the unfavorable predictions of further growth in energy prices and negligible foreign investment in the domestic economy. The experience of developed countries points to the need for state regulation of energy saving processes and a purposeful state policy. Only the state legislature through a balanced, flexible pricing, tariff and tax policy can ensure the financial viability of the energy saving mechanism.
The main principles of the policy must be:
1. Priority of improving efficiency of use of fuel and energy resources over the increase of the volumes of their extraction and production of thermal and electric energy;
2. Compliance with the policies of the common market transformations in the country;
3. The priority of ensuring the safety of human health, social conditions, protection of the environment during extraction, production, processing, transportation and use of energy resources and (or) energy;
4. Implementation of state regulation in the sphere of energy saving in the first place, control the execution of the laws, regulations and decisions; the need for economic support energy efficiency, encourage the use of renewable energy sources;
5. The obligation of accurate metering of fuel and energy resources produced and consumed;
6. Systematic approach in energy saving;
7. Implementation of informational, educational and research activities in the field of energy saving. (Morata and Solorio Sandoval, 2012)
Other advantages of energy saving consists in reducing technogenic load on the environment: reduction of CO2 emission in 2020 may reach 207 million tonnes, which will improve the living conditions of the population, as well as provide the ability to trade quotas and receive additional dividends on the introduction of new technologies and in general on the socio-economic development of the country. In addition, energy-saving energy will save in 2020, nearly 323 billion kWh of electricity, which will allow putting into operation power generating capacity of 37 GW and reduce investment needs for the industry 74 billion. (Hamilton, 2013)
consistency: implies preferential development of competitive energy sources with low carbon content, particularly alternative transport fuels for energy management Europe, suspension of negative climate change and improve air quality
competitiveness: the opening of energy markets should be beneficial for consumers and the economy as a whole, and thus promoting investments in clean energy production and improve energy efficiency (this once again emphasizes the importance of price and tariff policy of the States), to reduce the impact of ultra-high energy prices on the EU economy and its citizens and the use of modern energy technologies;
security of supply: tackling the growing dependence of EU on imported energy involves the use of an integrated approach - reducing demand, diversifying the energy mix of the EU with the increased use of competitive local and renewable energy sources (diversification of fuels), as well as the diversification of sources and routes of supply of imported energy, creating a base that will attract investment to meet growing energy demand, increasing the readiness of the EU to respond to crisis situations, improvement of the conditions for European companies who are trying to gain access to the world's energy resources, and ensuring access to energy for all physical and legal entities.
Further aggravation of the problems of energy security has forced the EU to revisit the problems of energy supply. One of the main directions of solving the problems of energy supply of EU countries is associated with the development of alternative and renewable energy sources and energy efficiency consumption. At the same time, the aspect of energy security as diversification of energy supply for Europe has not yet become a major. (Tomain, 2011) There is not resolved the question of how much Europe should depend on its main energy supplier - Russia. The share of Gazprom in the energy supply of the EU is more than 25 %, the countries of the former USSR it ranges from 50% to 100 % of the total national needs in natural gas. Currently, Europe is self-sufficient in basic energy resources at the expense of own production at 50% and by 2030 it is expected that this figure will decrease to 35 %. (Buzar, 2016)
The good example of solving energy problems is Poland. Throughout Poland there are now five geothermal networks, the sixth building. Professional engineers and experts from the Szczecin inlet of the University believe that there could be hundreds of them soon.
"For now these are only pilot stations in the regions. Still in Poland, there are used wells that already exist. At the time they did when I was looking for oil. In fact, Poland is reminiscent of Swiss cheese - so many holes. Only because of this we know that we have such a potential of geothermal energy." (Nowicki, 2013)
According to some estimates, the capacity will be enough to provide heat a third of Polish homes. Today it is 0.1 percent. (Nowicki, 2013) However, this may change. If the EU will intensify the fight against global warming, the poles will be unprofitable to burn coal, and geothermal energy on the contrary will become more attractive.
The development of human society is inextricably linked with the consumption of different types of energy. Today there is a problem of rapid exhaustion of reserves of natural energy resources -coal, oil, gas. The use of any kind of energy you have to pay money, human life, pollution of the environment. There is no universal form of energy, as you cannot abandon one form of energy, not replacing it with other types. You have to balance between benefit and risk.
Implementing widespread use of alternative sources of energy need to remember that electricity must be made on modern technologies, primarily using renewable sources of energy. And here is where you need to perform three conditions: the right to supply the produced electricity to the network; to oblige energy companies to buy electricity from producers; fair pricing, i.e. prices on a certain period, favorable credit conditions.
Electricity is a commodity, the quality of which must meet the requirements of the standards. Today consumers are interested in three questions: what is the quality of the electricity it bought and is it worth the money (in the sense of what a loss he brings each violation of power quality); for what purpose and in what quantity it consumes power, which buys (rationally or not); how to manage energy consumption efficiently, to minimize costs of electricity (at what point and what a load off not to exceed the limit of consumption).
Considering the prospects of energy development in the world it's safe to say that in the near future will be widely used alternative energy sources implemented in all developed countries of the world. After all, alternative energy sources provide an opportunity to use clean fuel and produce with several times more energy for practical and productive production.
The importance of energy policy has an energy relationship between the countries of the world. It should be noted that the processes that occur in most European countries, are in line with the gradual transition to competition in the energy sector and gradual withdrawal of countries from the Russian domination. However, in most cases such processes take place is difficult enough, trying to untie confrontation not only economic, but also political methods, is not conducive to improving energy security.
Bibliography
Bochniarz, Z. and Cohen, G. (2007). The Environment And Sustainable Development In The New Central Europe. 1st ed. New York, NY: Berghahn Books.
Buzar, S. (2016). Energy poverty in Eastern Europe. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.
Hamilton, M. (2013). Energy Policy Analysis: A Conceptual Framework. 1st ed. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe.
Morata, F. and Solorio Sandoval, I. (2012). European Energy Policy: An Environmental Approach. 1st ed. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Nowicki, M. (2013). Environment in Poland: Issues and Solutions. 2nd ed. Springer Verlag.
Tomain, J. (2011). Ending dirty energy policy. 1st ed. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press.
