Supply chains and energy security

The multidimensional nature of energy security, including the time and scale by which it is assessed, makes its measurement, definition and the assessment of risks and threats to it, problematic. This chapter argues that, regardless of these difficulties, an analysis of the role of current and future supply chains needs to be central to any assessment of energy security. This reflects the fact that, at a macro level, our energy system is essentially a supply chain, comprising multiple and inter-related sub-chains based on different infrastructures, actors, technologies and fuels. It is these that enable energy to be transformed and distributed to meet the demands for energy services such as thermal comfort, power and mobility. In a secure energy system, these supply chains need to operate effectively on an ongoing basis to ensure that the demand for energy services can be balanced with sufficient supply.