Work

Transformation of the European Energy Sector Under the New Energy Architecture: A Multi-Criteria Assessment of Decarbonization, Energy Security, and Strategic Energy Autonomy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The transformation of the European Union’s energy sector increasingly requires the simultaneous pursuit of decarbonization, energy security, and strategic energy autonomy, which necessitates a comprehensive assessment of the processes shaping a new energy architecture. The aim of this study is to develop a methodological approach to the multi-criteria assessment of energy transformation across the 27 European Union countries over the period 2015–2024. The proposed approach combines a system of quantitative indicators, normalization procedures, the calculation of sub-indices of energy security, decarbonization, and strategic energy autonomy, and their subsequent aggregation into a Composite Energy Transformation Index. To identify structural differences among countries, Ward’s clustering method was additionally applied. The results indicate an overall positive trend in energy transformation across all EU countries; however, the pace and structural balance of these processes differ substantially. Three typical transformation profiles were identified: decarbonization-oriented, asymmetric, and advanced integrated. The highest average level across the three dimensions was observed in Denmark, Italy, and Romania; this profile, however, rests largely on their domestic oil and gas reserves and disappears when the reserve-to-production indicators are excluded. Country rankings are robust to alternative weights, whereas the profiles are weakly separated and are best read as positions along a continuum. The findings confirm the multidimensional nature of the EU energy transformation and the need to differentiate management decisions according to the specific features of individual countries’ transformation profiles.

Source: Energies

DOI: 10.3390/en19215225

Authors: Aleksander Iwaszczuk, Ivanna Zapukhliak, Natalia Iwaszczuk, Nataliia Krykhivska, Oleksandra Romashko

Institutions: Cracow University of Technology, Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, AGH University of Krakow

Language: English

Topic: Global Energy Security and Policy

Subfield: General Energy

Field: Energy

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137