Microgeneration Outlook - Design for Micro-Combined Cooling, Heating and Power Systems - page 10

Fig. 9 EU MS energy mix in 2011 [ 34 ]

energy demand, the energy sector in Europe is also dependent on energy imports. If
in the 1980s, energy imports were around 40 %, at the end of the 1990s, imports
reached 45.1 % [ 38 ] to amount in 2010, 54.1 % [ 39 ] (with a peak value of 56.3 % in
2008). To this picture, under a

“ ”

scenario, projections estimate an
increase up to 65 % by 2030 [ 40 ]. In addition, given this vulnerability on energy
imports and the inadequate development of energy infrastructure and intercon-
nections (as decentralised energy systems cannot be accommodated yet), an energy
crisis could have a detrimental effect on the MS in terms of both political and
economic risks.
Per a contrario, security of supply (or energy security)byde

business as usual

nition implies the

“ [ 41 ] precisely

to avoid such vulnerabilities and prospective crises or cut-offs. Therefore, energy

uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price ”