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Centre for Energy Research

Researh Centre

NUPI’s Centre for Energy Research is an interdisciplinary research centre covering international relations and economic issues related to the field of energy. The centre was originally established as the Energy programme in 2006, and brings together researchers from different parts of NUPI working on energy issues.

The centre's objective is to be a forum for analysis of international energy issues, as well as Norway’s role on the international energy arena. It is to function as a meeting place for international actors working on energy related questions, and to facilitate debates on international energy policies.

External resources:

Energy and Climate Change in ASEAN

News

New research group on climate and energy at NUPI

February 28, 2022

‘The ambition of the group is to be a driver for NUPI research on climate and energy issues,’ says Indra Øverland, head of the new research group.

Funding flows for climate change research on Africa

October 27, 2021

African countries face some of the biggest challenges due to climate change compared to other parts of the world, but the funding for research on these changes and their implications in Africa constitutes only a small fraction of global funding for climate change research.

News
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How the green transition will lead to a more peaceful world

April 17, 2020

The green transition will undoubtedly affect geopolitics. But how? NUPI researchers have taken a systematic look at 204 publications in the first meta-review on the field of renewable energy and geopolitics.

News

How Covid-19 affects sustainable energy transitions

October 20, 2020

Less flying. More biking. More staying at home, also when you are working. A new article by nine renowned energy experts explains how the pandemic may change the global energy landscape. 

News

Why lack of will to limit climate change amongst ASEAN states?

April 12, 2021

The countries of Southeast Asia are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Why, then, has there been so little will to take action? This paradox is the focus of a new article from the ACCEPT project. 

News
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Key climate research severely underfunded

January 7, 2020

Researchers from NUPI and the University of Sussex analysed USD 1.3 trillion of research funding. From 1990 to 2018 only 0.12% of the funding was spent on a critical issue: how to change societies to mitigate climate change.

News
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The green transition: Who will be the geopolitical winners – and losers?

December 3, 2019

This is the main question behind a new index developed by an international research team led by NUPI’s Indra Øverland.

News
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Debunking renewable energy myths

September 11, 2019

Indra Øverland has examined four assumptions about renewable energy and geopolitics.

News
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The Russia Conference: Cold Peace in the Arctic?

September 14, 2018

On September 14, NUPI’s Russia Conference took place in Oslo. Couldn’t be there? Watch the entire event, including Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide's key note speech, on YouTube.

News
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NEW ARTICLE: The International Renewable Energy Agency has a massive potential

June 21, 2018

So how is the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), founded in 2009, doing?

News
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Public brainpower critical for managing natural resources

December 18, 2017

A new book edited by NUPI researcher Indra Øverland examines how civil society, public debate and freedom of speech affect the management of oil and gas resources.

News

Renewables change geopolitics

June 23, 2017

In cooperation with IRENA, Harvard University and Columbia University, NUPI this week publish a report exploring the opportunities and challenges renewables have on geopolitics.

News

Green future – risks and opportunities

March 23, 2017

NUPI has partnered with Columbia University and Harvard University.

News

ExxonMobil & Rosneft: Trump renews the bromance?

March 10, 2017

Former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is secretary of state in the USA. That may ease the tension in the country's relationship with Russia.

Publications

Publication : NUPI Report

Impact of Climate Change on ASEAN International Affairs: Risk and Opportunity Multiplier

2017
This study examines the implications of climate change for international affairs in Southeast Asia and for ASEAN as a multilateral organization. Climate ...
Publication

The Geopolitics of Renewable Energy

2017
For a century, the geopolitics of energy has been synonymous with the geopolitics of oil and gas. However, geopolitics and the global energy economy are ...
Publication

Myanmars Attractiveness for Investment in the Energy Sector: A Comparative International Perspective

2017
This report examines the strengths and weaknesses of Myanmar’s business climate in the petroleum and renewable energy sectors: how it compares with other ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL

The Energy Union and Security-of-Gas-Supply

2016
  • Ole Gunnar Austvik
This paper discusses and contrasts the proposals for an Energy Union in the European Union and its impact on security-of-gas-supply. Based on an examination ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL

Energy: The Missing Link in Globalization

2016
Energy resources are transported long distances and create powerful interlinkages between countries. Energy thus contributes to the globalization of the ...
Publication

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted: Gazprom Encounters EU Regulation

2017
This book contributes to an ongoing debate about the EU as a global actor, the organization’s ability to speak with one voice in energy affairs, and the ...
Publication : ANTOLOGI

EU Leadership in Energy and Environmental Governance: Global and Local Challenges and Responses

2016
This edited collection focuses on the impact of the changing global distribution of power on the EU's energy policy and ability to project its approach ...
Publication

Engergy Security in the Baltic Sea Region: Regional coordination and and management of interdependencies

2015
The study maps changing energy relations in the Baltic Sea region in the aftermath of two events – the 2004 EU enlargement that has changed the political ...
Publication

Has the EU Learnt from the Ukraine Crisis? Changes to Security, Energy and Migration Governance

2015
The Russia-Ukraine crisis has not only dramatically changed the EU’s security situation but also poses challenges well beyond the security arena. The ...
Publication

The Power to Influence Europe? Russia’s Grand Gas Strategy, PISM Strategic File 6(69)

2015
As most of Russia’s energy exports go to the European Union, both players are strongly interdependent. For Russia energy resources, especially gas, are ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL

Macht aus der Pipeline: Russlands Energiepolitik und die EU

2015
Russland nutzt seine Energieressourcen zu geopolitischen Zwecken. Gazprom ist pro forma ein unabhängiges Unternehmen, de facto aber Mittel zu Zwecken, ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL

Energy in the neighborhood: Russian and EU perspectives and policies

2015
Project: Mapping Polish and Norwegian perspective on regional integration in Eastern Europe
Publication

Innovation, networks and energy governance: The case of shale gas, GR:EEN Policy Brief 22

2014
This Policy Brief explores the role of technological innovation in shaping energy governance and how energy governance is being shaped by actors operating ...
Publication

How does the search for energy security affect EU policies in other issue-areas? GR:EEN Policy Brief 23

2014
This policy brief addresses the question of how the EU’s search for energy security does – or does not – affect EU policies in other areas. Due to the ...
Publication : ANTOLOGI

Russian Energy in a Changing World: What is the Outlook for the Hydrocarbons Superpower

2013
For a long time Russia’s position as a key global energy player has enhanced Moscow’s international economic and political influence whilst causing concern ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL

Rosneft’s offshore partnerships: the re-opening of the Russian petroleum frontier?

2013
During an intense period of only 14 months, from June 2010 to August 2011, six major cooperation agreements between oil companies were announced in Russia. ...
Publication : ANTOLOGI

Caspian Energy Politics

2010
Caspian Energy Politics analyses the role of oil and gas in the development of the three main petroleum exporters in the Caspian region - Azerbaijan, ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL
Publication : MONOGRAFI

The Caspian Sea Region towards 2025

2010
The Caspian Sea and the lands around it are emerging again as a focus region in global affairs. With security of energy supply high on the international ...
Publication : NUPI Policy Brief

Nord Stream 2: policy dilemmas and the future of EU gas market

2016
The Nord Stream 2 (NS2) gas pipeline project is one of the most controversial issues in EU gas-related debates today. Its proponents hold that the project ...
Publication : Academic article
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Vietnam's solar and wind power success: Policy implications for the other ASEAN countries

2021
This study analyzes the factors that have facilitated Vietnam's recent rapid solar and wind power expansion and draws policy insights for other member ...
Publication : Academic article
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Funding flows for climate change research on Africa: Where do they come from and where do they go?

2021
Africa has only contributed a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions yet faces disproportionate risks from climate change. This imbalance is ...
Publication : Report
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EUs grønne giv – implikasjoner for norsk europapolitikk

2021
EU lanserte mot slutten av 2019 European Green Deal. Dette er en klimastrategi for å nå målene i Parisavtalen, men også en økonomisk vekststrategi, og ...
Publication : Academic article
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Environmental performance of foreign firms: Chinese and Japanese firms in Myanmar

2021
Little is known about how the environmental approaches of foreign investors in developing countries are formed. The objective of this study is to conceptualize ...
Publication : Chapter

Russian Grand Strategy and Energy Resources: The Asian Dimension

This chapter addresses a set of strategically important questions about the relationship between Russian strategy and the country’s energy resources. It ...
Publication : Academic article

The ASEAN climate and energy paradox

2021
This article carries out a multisectoral qualitative analysis (MSQA) and policy integration analysis of six sectors important for climate mitigation in ...
Publication : Academic article

Why Choose to Cycle in a Low-Income Country?

2020
Research on the adoption of the bicycle as a means of transport has been booming in high-income countries. However, little is known about bicycle adoption ...
Publication : Report

The Philippines: How to Leapfrog from a Complicated Renewable Energy Sector to an Attractive One

2020
The Philippines set the target of increasing the share of renewable energy in its energy mix from 16.9% in 2019 to 26.9% by 2030. This ambitious target ...
Publication : Report

Singapore: How to Attract More Investment in Renewable Energy?

2020
Singapore has limited renewable energy potential due to its small surface area and the limited space available. Solar power has the greatest potential. ...
Publication : Editorial

Unexplored resources for EU Arctic policy: Energy, oceans and space

2020
The EUs current Arctic policy from 2016 focuses on climate and environmental protection, sustainable development and international cooperation. The EU ...
Publication : Popular scientific lecture

Strategic dimension of Russian energy policy

This lecture was given on invitation from Statkraft that organised a seminar on various aspects of energy policy to members of its staff. The main topic ...
Publication : Report

Thailand: Improving the Business Climate for Renewable Energy Investment

2020
Thailand is among ASEAN’s renewable energy leaders. It attracted more than USD 10.7 billion of investment in renewable energy from 2006 to 2018. The country’s ...
Publication : Report

Vietnam: Six Ways to Keep Up the Renewable Energy Investment Success

2020
Vietnam is one of the most attractive destinations for renewable energy investment in ASEAN. In 2018, the country attracted USD 5.2 billion. In 2019, ...
Publication : Report

Russian energy and grand strategy

2020
This Policy Brief presents the most recent data on the performance of the Russian energy sector and discusses its strategic importance in the current ...
Publication : Report

Brunei Darussalam: How to Build an Investment Climate for Renewable Energy?

2020
Brunei Darussalam has yet to make major progress in renewable energy and become an attractive destination for investors. Only 0.05% of Brunei’s electricity ...
Publication : Academic monograph

Russian Oil Companies in an Evolving World: The Challenge of Change

This book examines Russia’s capacity to respond to a changing world through the lens of the country’s oil industry. Against a backdrop of social, political ...
Publication : Academic article

Energy democracy as a process, an outcome and a goal: A conceptual review

2016
‘Energy democracy’ has evolved from a slogan used by activists demanding a greater say in energy-related decision-making to a term used in policy documents ...
Publication : Academic article

Why Choose to Cycle in a Middle-Income Country?

2020
Research on the adoption of the bicycle as a means of transport has been booming in high-income countries. However, little is known about bicycle adoption ...
Publication : Report

Cambodia: Five Actions to Improve the Business Climate for Renewable Energy Investment

2020
Cambodia has not attracted significant investment in renewable energy until mid-2020 and, unlike other ASEAN countries, has not set exact renewable energy ...
Publication : Report

Indonesia: How to Boost Investment in Renewable Energy

2020
Indonesia, the largest country in Southeast Asia, has considerable renewable energy potential. However, this potential remains largely underexploited. ...
Publication : Report

Lao PDR: How to Attract More Investment in Small-Scale Renewable Energy?

2020
Lao PDR adopted the Renewable Energy Development Strategy in 2011 and set a target of 30% small-scale renewables in the energy mix by 2025. The country ...
Publication : Report

Malaysia: How to Scale Up Investment in Renewable Energy

2020
Malaysia set a target of 20% renewables in the energy mix by 2025, an 18% increase from the 2% it had in 2018. One of the planned measures is the development ...
Publication : Report

Myanmar: How to Become an Attractive Destination for Renewable Energy Investment?

2020
Myanmar is endowed with abundant renewable energy resources, and its solar potential is the greatest in the Greater Mekong Subregion – yet, this potential ...
Publication : Academic lecture

Norway as an anergy actor in Europe and in the Baltic Sea region

A brief intervention at the conference organized by the Institute of Central Europe in Lublin, Poland on the role of Norway as an energy actor in Europe ...
Publication : Academic article

The missallocation of climate research funding

2020
The window of opportunity for mitigating climate change is narrow. Limiting global warming to 1.5 °C will require rapid and deep alteration of attitudes, ...
Publication : Academic article

The geopolitics of renewables: New board, new game

2020
This policy perspective sums up the main input of four members of the Research Panel for IRENA's Global Commission on the Geopolitics of the Energy ...
Publication : Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

Russian Renewable Energy: Regulations and outcomes

This chapter reviews the development of the legal framework for renewable energy in Russia and discusses the current state of renewable energy in the ...
Publication : Academic article

The GeGaLo index: Geopolitical gains and losses after energy transition

2019
This article presents the GeGaLo index of geopolitical gains and losses that 156 countries may experience after a full-scale transition to renewable energy. ...
Publication : Central Asia Data-Gathering and Analysis Team (CADGAT)

Renewable Energy Policies of the Central Asian Countries

2019
This data article surveys the government policies in support of renewable energy in the five Central Asian republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, ...
Publication : Central Asia Data-Gathering and Analysis Team (CADGAT)

Wind Power Potential of the Central Asian Countries

2019
This data article surveys the wind energy potential of the five Central Asian countries; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. ...
Publication : Central Asia Data-Gathering and Analysis Team (CADGAT)

Solar Power Potential of the Central Asian Countries

2019
This data compilation surveys the solar energy potential of the five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. ...
Publication : Central Asia Data-Gathering and Analysis Team (CADGAT)

Hydropower Potential of the Central Asian Countries

2019
This data article surveys the hydropower potential of the five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. ...
Publication : Central Asia Data-Gathering and Analysis Team (CADGAT)

BRI in Central Asia: Energy Connectivity Projects

2019
One of the strategic objectives of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Central Asia is to provide China with alternative import/export and energy supply ...
Publication : Central Asia Data-Gathering and Analysis Team (CADGAT)

BRI in Central Asia: Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Extraction and Processing Projects

2019
Mineral resources is the sector that receives most Chinese investment in Central Asia. China and its Central Asian partners pursue both strategic and ...
Publication

Introduction: The EU and the Changing (Geo)Politics of Energy in Europe

2019
This introductory chapter has three purposes. First, it presents the background for this volume originating in a research project on European integration ...
Publication

EU climate and energy policy: new challenges for old energy suppliers

2018
Climate policy will transform the EU energy demand mix. This has implications for the main suppliers of fossil fuels to the EU, foremost among which are ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL

The geopolitics of renewable energy: Debunking four emerging myths

2018
This article seeks to nip in the bud four emerging myths about the geopolitics of the rise of renewable energy and the concomitant increase in electricity ...
Publication : ARTIKKEL

A Place in the Sun? IRENA’s Position in the Global Energy Governance Landscape

2018
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), created in 2009, is the only intergovernmental organization dedicated to renewable energy. Drawing ...
Publication : ANTOLOGI

Public Brainpower: Civil Society and Natural Resource Management

2018
This book discusses how civil society, public debate and freedom of speech affect the management of natural resources. Drawing on the work of Robert ...
Publication

Kazakhstan: Civil Society and Natural Resource Policy in Kazakhstan

2018
In Kazakhstan, civil society is held back and has had a limited role in the management of the petroleum sector. As this chapter notes, civil society has ...

Projects

Project : Research project
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Is this Russia's Kodak moment? Russian perspectives on the energy transition

This project will examine whether Russian energy actors are aware of the possibility of swift decarbonization of the global energy supply, what consequences they think it would have for demand for Russian fossil fuels exports and what measures they are implementing in order to hedge against such a development.
Project : Research project

Science and Business in Arctic Environmental Governance

We know little about the role of science and business actors in contemporary Arctic governance. This project seeks to address this gap.
Project : Research project

Renewable Energy and Geopolitics

The project examines the geopolitical consequences of a large-scale transition to renewable energy, both in terms of the fading of old energy and geopolitical patterns and systems and the emergence of new ones.
Project

Global management of energy areas in a globalized world.

This project aims to explore how structural changes in the surroundings, in form of increased integration between different energy sources and regions, is managed by international organizations.