<h1>The Current European Energy Crisis by Francesco Mazzagatti of Viaro Energy</h1>

The European Union is now in a precarious position with its energy needs. Natural gas supplies are running low, and the weather could change at any minute. On top of that, Vladimir Putin seems positioned to take advantage of this problem for his own nefarious goals. There are environmental concerns driving a lot of the energy crisis. However, one could say that this has been a self-created crisis. There are plenty of success stories in Europe for people willing to look. France currently has some of the lowest energy prices in Europe, but they are also one of the greenest countries. They do this by using a combination of nuclear and other sources. However, outside of France, that is a political no-go zone.

<h2>No Natural Resources</h2>

The main issue for most European countries is that there are no viable natural resources for them to use as energy. A few countries have coal, but environmental laws are making that obsolete. A few countries are trying their hand at wind energy, but that doesn't seem to be doing really well for everyone. Wind energy is an intermittent source of energy, so you won't be able to run your entire country using it. The majority of European countries don't get enough sunlight to warrant using solar power. It means these countries will have to bite the bullet and go for nuclear. However, environmentalist groups will not support that.

<h2>A Pipeline That Will Not Be Built</h2>

The way that Europe gets most of its fuel needs is through pipelines from Russia. However, this is a bad geopolitical situation for NATO countries. It is one of the many reasons why the Qatar-Turkey natural gas pipeline was so important. It was the main reason Russia got involved during the Syrian Civil War. However, this pipeline does not seem like it will ever be built. It means that European countries will always have to rely on the good graces of Russia for heating during tough winter months.

<h2>Phasing Out Nuclear</h2>

After the Fukushima disaster, many countries took it as a warning to get rid of their nuclear power plants. However, nuclear is currently the only green baseload source of energy. That meant that those countries had to switch to even more gas sources. It means that those countries will be even more dependent on foreign powers for heating and electricity generation. Only time will tell whether public policy shifts back to using nuclear. However, as it stands, this does not seem to be the case. Only France has decided to invest fully in nuclear, but it is still wavering in its support. There have been talks among politicians about moving off of these energy sources in the future.

<h2>Climate Change</h2>

Most people in Europe support the various climate change initiatives drafted by the UN. It means that governments will have to do what they can to meet these initiatives. That has made climate change a hot-button political issue during most elections. However, the combination of being anti-nuclear and green has also meant that countries do not have a way out. They could invest €1 trillion like Germany, but they would end up with the same results. The only other thing they can do is to get coal. While it isn't politically expedient, people generally prefer the lights on over being green.

<h2>Depending On Russia</h2>

Since Russia is the main source of natural gas to Europe, it now holds a lot of sway in European politics. There are certain actions that European countries will no longer be able to take because of this Russian dependence. For example, Russia seems poised to take Ukraine. Would Europeans be united in a response? The answer to that seems to be no. Countries like Germany can now only pay lip service instead of going against Russia. Russia is now the dominant player in what European countries are doing. It means that NATO will have a massive problem if this isn't stopped in the future.

<h2>Failed Push for Renewables</h2>

The biggest reason European countries face an energy crisis is their failed push towards renewables. Countries like Germany have invested over €1 trillion into various initiatives. The result of these initiatives is Germany is now building more coal power plants. It has been a monumental failure, but there are still political pressures to keep it going. The push towards renewables coincided with the phasing out of nuclear power, meaning that Germany faced a double whammy. They no longer have the ability to exert themselves on the national stage. They are wholly dependent on countries like Russia for their fuel sources. A lot of Europeans are hoping that technological innovations will be what helps to make renewables a viable alternative to resources like natural gas.

<h2>What Does the Future Hold?</h2>

The future of energy in Europe doesn't seem bright if nothing changes. It will require European countries to focus on pragmatic choices instead of politically expedient ones. It will mean shutting out the environmentalists who don't want nuclear or petroleum-based fuel sources. Leaders in Europe will have to stand firm and do what they know is correct, but that will be a significant risk to their political ambitions. Countries like Germany will have to do the opposite of what they are doing now. They will have to put more nuclear power plants online to prevent themselves from becoming subservient to Russia.

That process is only getting stronger as time goes on, but it hasn't reached a level where it cannot be overturned. Another future involves the pipeline from Qatar suddenly being built. It would give Europe a viable alternative to Russian gas, and it would reduce its influence on the continent. Time will tell which direction European countries decide to go in, but the clock is ticking.