Energy Dependency and Energy Security: The Role of Energy Effıcıency and Renewable Energy Sources (The Mahbub Ul Haq Memorial Lecture)

National and international energy policies have very important role in regional and global power equilibrium and its importance is increasing. In this respect, diversification of energy resources and their transportations routes, efficient use of local resources and the use of existing energy resources with various technological and strategic practices in the most efficient way possible are necessary in order to improve energy security and reduce dependence on foreign energy sources. Energy efficiency and renewable energy sources stand out as an important issues especially regarding energy supply security, reducing foreign energy dependency, economic development, maintaining the balance between environment and sustainability as well as making important gains in all these issues. Thus, Improving energy efficiency saves money, reduces carbon emissions and decreases country’s dependence on foreign energy supplies. Energy security—the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price—can also profit from improved energy efficiency by decreasing the reliance on imported fossil fuels. Possible improvements in energy efficiency are examined in six main categories: (1) buildings, (2) industry, (3) transportation, (4) electricity generation and distribution, (5) appliances and equipment, and (6) lighting