Documents

1. Energy security and the diversity of energy flows in an energy system

   Ranjan, Ashish; Hughes, Larry, 2014

   Summary

   In order to maintain or improve a jurisdiction's energy security, its energy system needs to meet the demands of its energy services with affordable and preferably environmentally acceptable flows of energy. Since diversity can be a factor in the long-term survival of a system, having a diversity of energy flows is frequently treated as a proxy for energy security. The paper examines the relationship between energy security and the diversity of an energy system's energy flows using a set of energy security indicators and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index. Although diversity may be considered necessary for maintaining and improving energy security, the quantitative analysis of the relationship shows that an energy flow considered diverse need not be secure and that a secure energy flow need not be considered diverse. Examples of this relationship are included. These findings can prove useful to policy makers and energy analysts when developing transition strategies for a jurisdiction's energy system.

2. Diversity, security, and adaptability in energy systems: a comparative analysis of four countries in Asia

   Lo, Liang-huey, 2011

   Summary

   In energy policy, diversity plays important roles in energy supply security, efficiency of energy use, and adaptability of energy system. Many of the trends reflect the increasing significance of renewable energy relative to conventional energy sources, and it will increase diversity of energy supply. It is also beneficial for a system both through extending choice and increasing competition. However, changing the structure of energy sources and increasing energy diversity for strategic system security can be difficult for those countries which highly depend on imported energy. The paper considers that the diverse distributions of energy flows in a system can open up more possibilities and channels for cooperation and interdependency in energy utilization. Not only diversity of supply side, but also diversity of demand side is critical for an energy system because increasing variance and balance of the energy consumers enhances efficiency and adaptability. In this paper, a quantitative analysis method to explore both of supply and demand sides of energy system structure for four Asian countries, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia based on the OECD data set from 1987 to 2006 is developed. Energy systems of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are short of indigenous energy sources and highly dependent on imported energy sources except Indonesia. Indonesia’s indigenous energy source reserves support national economy as a source of energy, industrial raw material and export goods. Additionally, Indonesia’s renewable energy can serve as a source of energy to support energy use. Furthermore, not only the diversity temporal patterns of national energy supply and use are compared, but also the industry sector diversity temporal patterns of energy use of these countries.

Herfindahl-Hirschman-Index