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The Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center promotes energy security by working alongside government, industry, civil society, and public stakeholders to devise pragmatic solutions to the geopolitical, sustainability, and economic challenges of the changing global energy landscape.

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Jul 18, 2018

Decarbonization and peak oil demand: The role of policy in the transportation sector

By Robert J. Johnston and Hilary Novik Sandberg

What is the role of government policy in the transportation sector amidst international efforts to reduce carbon emissions and peak oil demand concerns, specifically in regard to the numerous policies and technological developments that have already been adopted or could be developed to aid the decarbonization of the transportation sector, as well as the reforms necessary to their widespread adoption?

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

EnergySource

Jul 13, 2018

What Iran’s World Cup team says about oil production

By Brenda Shaffer

In the current tight oil market, where little wiggle room exists between supply and demand, any production outage has the potential to significantly impact the global oil price. And while observers frequently discuss many of the geopolitical risks that could lead to such outages, the potential for outages in Iranian production warrants further consideration—and not […]

Geopolitics & Energy Security Iran

EnergySource

Jul 13, 2018

Not everything is cool with air conditioning

By Peter Freudenstein

When they first cross the Atlantic, Europeans are often perplexed by the omnipresent air conditioners in the United States. Yet when humidity and temperatures reach unbearable levels during the summer months, even hardened naysayers of air conditioners appreciate a cool workplace that allows working without sweating profusely. However, not everything is cool with air conditioning. […]

Climate Change & Climate Action

MENASource

Jul 12, 2018

To stabilize Libya, redistribute oil revenue

By Nate Mason

Debate over Libya currently focuses on whether elections should be held in advance of a political agreement or to move forward in the absence of one. This debate is irrelevant. There are no governments or political leaders in Libya with the authority to conclude a political agreement that militias will recognize, nor are those same […]

Geopolitics & Energy Security Libya

Timely Commentary & Analysis

Jul 12, 2018

Amid government turmoil, Germany dives into effort to phase out coal

By Ellen Scholl and Peter Freudenstein

This piece is the first in a series examining the opportunities and challenges facing the recently launched “Coal Exit Commission” in Germany. It will shed some light on the context surrounding the establishment of the Commission and explain the important role coal still plays in Germany. Amid political turmoil over migration, last month Germany launched […]

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

MENASource

Jul 11, 2018

Can Sadr fulfill his campaign promise to reform the Iraq energy sector?

By Andrea Taylor

The trajectory of Iraq remains uncertain two months after the May 2018 Parliamentary elections in which the political bloc led by Muqtada al-Sadr won the greatest number of seats. Given that the Alliance Revolutionaries for Reform, or Sairoon, fell well short of a majority, Sadr must develop a coalition with other parties to elect a […]

Energy Markets & Governance Iraq

EnergySource

Jul 9, 2018

The UAE’s energy future: A long-term strategy beyond hydrocarbons

By Herbert Crowther

The world’s largest single-site solar park and the world’s first attempt at a carbon neutral, self-sustainable city can both be found in what might seem to be an unlikely location: the heart of the Arabian Gulf. Both projects are funded by and located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a geographically small state that holds […]

Energy Transitions Renewables & Advanced Energy

EnergySource

Jul 5, 2018

The risks of the Trump Administration’s whiplash policy on Iranian oil

By David Mortlock and Ellen Wald

As the Trump Administration prepares to re-impose nuclear-related sanctions on Iran following the president’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), its treatment of Iranian oil sales could dramatically impact both the United States’ Iran strategy and the global oil market. The administration’s apparent decision to compel buyers […]

Geopolitics & Energy Security Iran

EnergySource

Jul 5, 2018

Finding nature-inspired solutions for energy use design challenges in engineering and architecture

By Peter Dean

A previous blog entry addressed the human role in containing entropy. This post examines real-world examples of addressing design challenges in engineering and architecture. Unfortunately, many engineering solutions to both past and current architectural and industrial design challenges have relied on abundant and cheap energy for their effectiveness. When energy is cheap and plentiful, using […]

Energy Transitions Technology & Innovation

EnergySource

Jul 3, 2018

Is power ever too cheap to meter?

By Branko Terzic

Despite decades of safe operation at over 100 power stations generating carbon free electricity, nuclear power remains a controversial topic in the United States. Nuclear opponents often remind the public that proponents once promised that electricity from nuclear power would be “too cheap to meter,” a promise that has so far gone unfulfilled. However, a […]

Energy Markets & Governance

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