Renewables Geopolitics: Toward a New Generation of Energy Conflicts?

Abstract

AbstractBuilding on the historical foundations of the geopolitics of energy, this essay argues that under capitalism, the “energy model” performs more functions than only supplying energy to the system. In the fossil fuel model, the territorial control of energy sources (coal, oil, gas, and uranium) preserves hegemony, and since the 1970s, oil revenue has been used to sustain global imbalances. Considering that the properties of renewable sources are radically different from those of fossil fuels (there is no possibility of territorial control or commodification), I discuss the concepts of soft and hard paths as established by Lovins and using the example of “new hydrogen geopolitics,” in an attempt to create a hard path renewable model similar to the fossil fuel one, may foster new tensions that could catalyze a new generation of energy-related conflicts. DISCLOSURE STATEMENTNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under the grant of the I + D + i project Crisis and processes of regional change in North Africa. Implications for Spain, number CSO2017-84949-C3-3-P.Notes on contributorsAurèlia Mañé-EstradaAurèlia Mañé-Estrada holds a PhD in Economics and Business Studies from the University of Barcelona (UB) and Master’s degree in International Relations from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). She is a lecturer at the UB, where she teaches subjects related to economic policy, the political economy of energy and the economies of the Arab world. Her main research topics are oil economies and energy issues, from a triple perspective: political economy, geo-energy, and historical-systemic. E-mail: amimanera@ub.edu