ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the notion of national and commercial security is presented from the perspective of global energy markets, market cycles, currency wars, but also geopolitics and economics. The 21st century has brought about a number of radical changes in geopolitics and alliances, but also competition among energy-producing nations, and occasionally a shift of power in particular energy segments. Governments and corporations mitigate their Triple-E goals of energy efficiency, environmental integrity and economies of scale, and synergies, policies, and innovative technologies help them meet these goals.
Global market growth strongly relies upon innovative technologies, and public/private partnerships and regulations that are designed in a manner that reflects the industry changes. Geopolitics is shaped by political trends, alliances, and global areas of conflict (war, terrorism, social turmoil). In fact, the vast majority of fossil-fuel reserves are found in nations that face some sort of geopolitical challenges. Finally, global energy economics are a reflection of a supply–demand equilibrium that derives from production and consumption patterns.
Numerous cases and econometrics are provided on energy-rich countries and trade blocks such as BRICS, NAFTA, VISTA, etc., as examples of geopolitical alliances where partners amplify their economic and commercial strengths, and mitigate their energy security vulnerabilities.
