Energy security
The IEA defines energy security as the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price. Energy security has many aspects: long-term energy security mainly deals with timely investments to supply energy in line with economic developments and environmental needs. On the other hand, short-term energy security focuses on the ability of the energy system to react promptly to sudden changes in the supply-demand balance.
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Our work on Energy security
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Oil Security
One of the IEA's core activities is ensuring the security of oil supplies by setting oil stockholding requirements for member countries and coordinating the international response to supply shocks -
Natural Gas Security
Gas security challenges are evolving. The current period of gas oversupply – driven by overcapacity in the LNG market – should not overshadow the critical importance of global gas security -
Electricity Security
In May 2015, the Group of Seven (G7) Energy Ministers asked the IEA to help determine the best means of improving electricity security, including through increasing system flexibility -
Member and Key Partner Emergency Policies
Since its founding in 1974, oil supply security has been a core mission of the International Energy Agency -
Resilience
The energy sector has to withstand demand or supply shocks in global energy markets, natural disasters, explosions or cyberattacks and other extreme events -
Emergency Response
In the event of an actual or potentially severe oil supply disruption, the IEA Secretariat first assesses its market impact and the need for an IEA co-ordinated response
Recent reports
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Energy Security in Asean+6
Covers the key energy sectors of oil, natural gas and electricity and identifies the main energy security issues -
Saving oil in a hurry 2018
Provides actionable recommendations to reduce oil demand during oil supply disruption -
Costs and benefits of emergency stockholding
assesses net benefits from holding emergency oil stocks
News
- Oil Market Report: Pausing to reflect
15 November 2019 - Oil Market Report: Back to business as usual
11 October 2019 - IEA statement on situation in Saudi Arabia
14 September 2019
Events & workshops
Oct25
PublicationWEO Special Report: Producer EconomiesLondon, UK
Jun20
WorkshopSystems Integration Side Event Yokohama, Japan
Feb7
Webinar: Digitalization & EnergyParis, France