How much energy do we consume?
The energy resources, including fuel oils – coal, oil and natural gas – play a strategic role in the global economic growth. The identified and available geological resources of these fuels are limited. Recently, we have been observing fast increase of fuel prices on the market. The European Union and its Member States – including Poland – try to get prepared to the challenges connected with the inevitable future deficit of fossil fuels. The scale of these challenges largely depends on the demand for energy, while the demand depends on multiple factors.
Generally, it can be said that the demand for energy is generated by human activity associated with satisfying of human needs. Such factors as the area of a state, the structure of its utilisation, the number of population, the structure of the economy or the industry belong to important factors impacting the size of the demand for energy. Let us take a look at these factors in Poland, comparing to the EU, in order to better understand the scale of energy related needs of our country and the challenges associated with meeting of this needs today and in future.
The energy resources potential is very diverse in individual European countries. Also the economic and geopolitical conditions of provision of energy are diversified. Often, they result from historical factors originating in the times before the establishment of the European Union.
In the result, the structure of energy consumption in individual EU Member States is much diversified.
Polish