Manfred Hafner

This open access book offers a holistic and interdisciplinary analysis of the energy sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and its ongoing transformation. Taking into account global decarbonization policies, it offers a comprehensive overview of the transition’s effects in the region highlighting socioeconomic, geopolitical and cultural aspects. The book is divided into four parts, the first of which illustrates the historical, cultural and socioeconomic heterogeneity of the MENA region. The second part assesses the region's energy sector, with a special focus on the energy mix and consumption evolution at the national level. The third part addresses the geopolitics and geoeconomics of the energy sector in MENA countries, including foreign interference, conflicts, investments and partnerships both related to hydrocarbons and energy transition. Lastly, the fourth part provides overall conclusions and key takeaways on all major aspects addressed by the book, highlighting various paths and strategies for decarbonization in the region.

This open access book offers a holistic and interdisciplinary analysis of the energy sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and its ongoing transformation. Taking into account global decarbonization policies, it offers a comprehensive overview of the transition’s effects in the region highlighting socioeconomic, geopolitical and cultural aspects. The book is divided into four parts, the first of which illustrates the historical, cultural and socioeconomic heterogeneity of the MENA region. The second part assesses the region's energy sector, with a special focus on the energy mix and consumption evolution at the national level. The third part addresses the geopolitics and geoeconomics of the energy sector in MENA countries, including foreign interference, conflicts, investments and partnerships both related to hydrocarbons and energy transition. Lastly, the fourth part provides overall conclusions and key takeaways on all major aspects addressed by the book, highlighting various paths and strategies for decarbonization in the region.

This open access book analyses barriers and challenges associated with the financing of clean energy access in sub-Saharan Africa. By considering various economic, financial, political, environmental and social factors, it explores the consequences of energy poverty across the region and maps the real and perceived investment risks for potential capital providers, both domestic and international. Furthermore, it analyses risk mitigation strategies and innovative financing structures available to the public and private sectors, which are aimed at leveraging capital in the clean energy sector at scale and fostering the creation of an enabling business and investment environment. More specifically, the present book analyses how to (i) enhance capital allocation in projects and organisations that foster clean energy access in the region, (ii) mobilize private capital at scale and (iii) decrease the cost of financing through risk mitigation strategies. Going beyond traditional approaches, the book also considers socioeconomic and cultural aspects associated with investment barriers across the subcontinent. Moreover, it urges the public and private spheres to become more actively involved in tackling this pressing development issue, and provides policy recommendations for the public sector, including proposals for business model evolution at multilateral agencies and development institutions. It will appeal to a wide readership of both academics and professionals working in the energy industry, the financial sector and the political sphere, as well as to general readers interested in the ongoing debate about energy, sustainable development and finance.

Energy systems are rapidly transitioning towards decarbonization, thanks in part to innovative digital technologies and changing mobility demands. This open access book examines the decarbonization and digitalization transformation in the transport sector, with a particular focus on energy consumption. By studying historical trends and outlining future scenarios, the authors illustrate the evolution of energy consumption in the transport sector, compare alternative decarbonization strategies, and analyze digitalization trends and their effects on energy consumption. The book addresses a broad readership of both academics and professionals working in the energy and transport industries, as well as readers interested in the ongoing debate over energy, mobility and climate change. This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

Energy systems are rapidly transitioning towards decarbonization, thanks in part to innovative digital technologies and changing mobility demands. This open access book examines the decarbonization and digitalization transformation in the transport sector, with a particular focus on energy consumption. By studying historical trends and outlining future scenarios, the authors illustrate the evolution of energy consumption in the transport sector, compare alternative decarbonization strategies, and analyze digitalization trends and their effects on energy consumption. The book addresses a broad readership of both academics and professionals working in the energy and transport industries, as well as readers interested in the ongoing debate over energy, mobility and climate change. This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

This open access book presents a picture of the current energy challenges on the African continent (and the Sub-Saharan region in particular) and proposes pathways to an accelerated energy transition. Starting with an analysis of the status quo and the outlook for Africa's energy demand and energy access, it provides an account of the available resources, including hydrocarbons and renewable energy resources, which are playing an increasingly crucial role. It then moves on to analyze the level of investment required to scale-up Africa's energy systems, shedding light on the key barriers and elaborating on potential solutions. It also provides a suggestion for improving the effectiveness of EU-Africa cooperation. While mainly intended for policymakers and academics, this book also speaks to a broader audience interested in gaining an overview of the challenges and opportunities of the African energy sector today and in the future. This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

This open access book presents a picture of the current energy challenges on the African continent (and the Sub-Saharan region in particular) and proposes pathways to an accelerated energy transition. Starting with an analysis of the status quo and the outlook for Africa's energy demand and energy access, it provides an account of the available resources, including hydrocarbons and renewable energy resources, which are playing an increasingly crucial role. It then moves on to analyze the level of investment required to scale-up Africa's energy systems, shedding light on the key barriers and elaborating on potential solutions. It also provides a suggestion for improving the effectiveness of EU-Africa cooperation. While mainly intended for policymakers and academics, this book also speaks to a broader audience interested in gaining an overview of the challenges and opportunities of the African energy sector today and in the future. This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

Energy systems are rapidly transitioning towards decarbonization, thanks in part to innovative digital technologies and changing mobility demands. This open access book examines the decarbonization and digitalization transformation in the transport sector, with a particular focus on energy consumption. By studying historical trends and outlining future scenarios, the authors illustrate the evolution of energy consumption in the transport sector, compare alternative decarbonization strategies, and analyze digitalization trends and their effects on energy consumption. The book addresses a broad readership of both academics and professionals working in the energy and transport industries, as well as readers interested in the ongoing debate over energy, mobility and climate change.

This short open access book investigates the role of renewable energy in East Africa to provide policy-relevant inputs for the achievement of a cost-effective electrification process in the region. For each country, the authors review the current situation in the domestic power sector, adopt a GIS-based approach to plot renewable energy resources potential, and review currently planned projects and projects under development, as well as the key domestic renewables regulations. Based on such information, least-cost 100% electrification scenarios by 2030 are then modelled and comparative results over the required capacity additions and investment are reported and discussed. The authors also inquire into some of the key technological, economic, policy, cooperation, and financing challenges to the development of a portfolio of renewables to promote energy access in a sustainable way, including a discussion of the challenges and opportunities that might stem from the interaction betweenlocal RE potential and natural gas resources currently under development in the region. To conclude, policy recommendations based on the book’s results and targeted at international cooperation and development institutions, local policymakers, and private stakeholders in the region are elaborated.

This book was originally published by Claeys and Casteels, now formally part of Edward Elgar Publishing. Sub-Saharan Africa is on the move. Since 2000, the region has seen rapid economic growth (with real GDP growth rates outperforming other major regional economic blocs), improving social conditions (with falling infant mortality rates and rising life expectancies) and progressive political liberalization (if in the 1990s only about 5% of African nations were considered to be democracies, today only a handful of the 55 African states do not have a multiparty constitutional system). Notwithstanding the fact that Africa’s energy sector is vital to its socio-economic development, this remains one of the most poorly understood parts of the global energy system. This book seeks to contribute to the understanding of such a topical issue, by providing an analysis of the current trends and future prospects of sub-Saharan energy markets. Issues covered include patterns of energy production, demand and trade; energy investments; energy infrastructure; energy access; energy and development; regional energy cooperation; the role of China in Africa’s energy.

This open access book presents a picture of the current energy challenges on the African continent (and the Sub-Saharan region in particular) and proposes pathways to an accelerated energy transition. Starting with an analysis of the status quo and the outlook for Africa’s energy demand and energy access, it provides an account of the available resources, including hydrocarbons and renewable energy resources, which are playing an increasingly crucial role. It then moves on to analyze the level of investment required to scale-up Africa’s energy systems, shedding light on the key barriers and elaborating on potential solutions. It also provides a suggestion for improving the effectiveness of EU–Africa cooperation. While mainly intended for policymakers and academics, this book also speaks to a broader audience interested in gaining an overview of the challenges and opportunities of the African energy sector today and in the future.

This book was originally published by Claeys and Casteels, now formally part of Edward Elgar Publishing. Gas represents a pivotal element of the European energy architecture. New elements such as the evolution of the EU Energy Union, the international climate agreement reached at COP-21, the EU Russia gas relations in the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis and the supply potential emerging in the Eastern Mediterranean, are rapidly reshaping the European gas markets. This book seeks to provide an insight into these developments, with the ultimate aim of contributing to the current European gas debate by providing a balancing act between two issues, decarbonisation of the European energy system and security of gas supply, that are usually conceived as different and unmatched but that represent, in reality, the two sides of the same coin.

This book was originally published by Claeys and Casteels, now formally part of Edward Elgar Publishing. Is the EU on the right track to meet its stated objective – a true European energy security policy? Is the current architecture on which the EU gas security of supply policy is built able to deliver those responses needed in order to meet the growing risks and changing realities EU gas security faces? How should European institutions and regulation adapt and respond? What tools are available to secure gas supply? This book feeds these questions by taking stock of today's EU gas security of supply governance