International Energy Agency

The International Energy Agency, English International Energy Agency, IEA short, is a cooperation platform in the field of research, development, market introduction and application of energy technologies. Furthermore, the Agency has established strategic oil reserves, with which they can engage in the oil market.

It was founded by 16 industrialized nations for common action against the former oil crisis. On November 15, 1974, the International Energy Agency was established as an autonomous unit of the OECD, based in Paris. Major publications by the IEA include the annually published " Key Energy Statistics" and the "World Energy Outlook ", the "Bible of the energy industry ." Fatih Birol is Chief Economist.

Major items

On 9 July 2007 the forecasts of the IEA made ​​headlines around the world, which increasingly pronounced scarcity trends are noticeable in the international oil markets. Given the high demand and the lower flow rate, the IEA said, there is already from 2010 the real danger of a shortage of oil - a scenario that is in particular has long been expected of followers of the peak oil theory. A crisis, the IEA said, " Although could possibly be avoided. The probability that this will succeed, but was not very high and take off every day on which no action would be taken. " The international oil markets responded to the warning of the IEA then with a hefty price increase to 76.34 U.S. dollars / barrel, the highest increase in 11 months. On 19 October 2007 crude oil was trading at about 90 U.S. $ / barrel. After a short recovery period, the price continued to rise, and had settled down for a time 136-145 U.S. $ / barrel in the summer of 2008.

Given the rise in oil price level, IEA Director Tanaka pointed at an energy conference in London in late October 2007 very concerned with regard to future oil supply security: " Despite five years of high oil prices, market tightness will Actually increase enlarge from 2009 New capacity additions will not keep. up with declines at current fields and the projected increase enlarge in demand " (The last five years of high oil prices despite new reserve additions is from 2009 actually increase the market shortage [ of oil ]. become the production decline in the currently depleted oil fields and with the to anticipated increase in demand does not keep pace ).

In the World Energy Outlook 2013, the IEA recommended more efforts on energy efficiency. Is a prerequisite for greater energy efficiency, global subsidies for fossil fuels abolish the 2012 amounted to 544 billion U.S. dollars, while renewable energies were supported with $ 100 billion.

Member States

Member States in alphabetical order are:

Criticism

The IEA has been repeatedly criticized for its drastic miscalculations. The possible potential of renewable energy sources would be expected systematically small and underestimated the price of oil price increases. Thus, the IEA predicted in 2004 an oil price of 22 U.S. dollars per barrel for 2011. However Today's oil price is around 110 U.S. dollars per barrel. " The IEA makes with such false predictions complicit in world economic crises, because they continue to downplay the problem of peak oil " complains the green energy politician Hans -Josef Fell. The development of renewable energy would be underestimated. So the trend scenario of the World Energy Outlook 2011, take the renewable energy worldwide in 2035 only accounted for 15 percent of the energy supply. "The potential of renewable energy is small expected by the IEA. At the same time the costs for their development are far too high calculated by the capital costs of renewables are ignored overemphasized and elimination in raw material costs, "writes Rainer Hinrichs- Rahlwes by the Federal Association for Renewable Energy.

Assessment of the German energy policy

In its Country Report 2013, the IEA judgment on the German energy policy, the Renewable Energy Sources Act has " proven to be very effective tool for the dissemination of renewable energy, particularly electricity generation through biomass, wind energy and photovoltaics. Moreover, it has proven to be successful in reducing costs proved, as can be seen in the particular degree of the reduction of feed-in tariffs for solar power, to which it has come to the rapid expansion of this technology in the last four years in response. "

In addition, the report notes: " Germany must ... proceed with the development of cost- efficient market-oriented concepts in order to support the expected expansion of the supply-dependent renewable energy are also costs and benefits must be fair and transparent, with particular attention to households, to all. market participants are distributed. 's expansion of renewable energies must be parallel to the timely development of transmission and distribution networks in the future effected. Moreover, it requires a stable regulatory framework to ensure long-term financing options for the network operators. Moreover, it is Germany's capacity to meet the peak load demand over the medium term continue to monitor closely. "