Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Humanities, Yasouj University, Iran
2 M.A. of Political Science, Faculty of Humanities, Yasouj University, Iran
Abstract
Renewable energies are gradually replacing fossil fuels as the primary sources of energy. The transition from non-renewable resources to renewable sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, etc., has significantly transformed productive, commercial, and financial aspects of the international energy market. This transformation, in turn, has created new challenges and opportunities for energy security of states. Iran, as a major producer of fossil fuels and energy consumer, is also grappling with these challenges and opportunities. Here we aim to answer the question that what strategies and policies Iran has adopted in the field of renewable energies to ensure its future energy security? In other words, what role and position does Iran envisioned for renewable energies in its future energy security? Answering this question requires addressing several sub-questions. First, what is energy security and its components? Second, what opportunities and threats do renewable energies pose to the energy security of states? Third, what is the current status of Iran in terms of energy security indicators, and how does the shift in the energy market from fossil fuels to renewable energies affect Iran's energy security? Fourth, what strategies and policies has Iran specifically adopted in the field of renewable energies to prevent these threats and risks? Fifth, what are the shortcomings of these strategies and policies, and what solutions can be proposed to overcome them?
Literature Review
The diversity in definitions of energy security has led scholars to propose various indicators for assessing energy security. In Table 1, we attempt to compile all the indicators proposed by researchers in this field.
Table 1. Indicators of Energy Security
Research examples
Indicator
Kruyt, Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009; Yao & Chang, 2014; Chuang & Ma, 2013; Fang, Shi &Yu, 2018; Lixia, 2021
Acceptability
1
Fang, Shi. &Yu, 2018; Kruyt, Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009
Sustainability
2
Karatayev & Hall, 2020; Radovanović, Filipović & Pavlović, 2017
Demand continuity
3
Radovanović, Filipović & Pavlović, 2017; Fu &et al, 2021
Environmental sustainability
4
Paravantis, Kontoulis, Ballis, Tsirigotis & Dourmas, 2018; Kruyt , Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009
Supply continuity
5
Kruyt , Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009; Erahman, Purwanto, Sudibandriyo & Hidayatno, 2016; Fang, Shi &Yu, 2018
Accessibility
6
Azzuni &Breyer, 2018; Szulecki, 2018
Democracy
7
Lee, Xing & Lee, 2022
Distribution of incomes
8
Lin & Raza, 2020; Radovanović, Filipović & Pavlović, 2017; Kruyt, Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009
Energy import dependency
9
Jewell, Cherp &Riahi, 2014
Diversity of resources
10
Sovacool &Mukherjee, 2011; Kruyt, Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009; Martchamadol & Kumar, 2013
Estimating resources and Reserve-to-production ratio
11
Kruyt, Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009; Shah, Zhou, Walasai &Mohsin, 2019; Novikau, 2019
Political stability
12
Kruyt, Van Vuuren, de Vries & Groenenberg, 2009; Chuang & Ma, 2013; Radovanović, Filipović & Pavlović, 2017; Yao & Chang, 2014; Kruyt et al., 2009
Affordability
13
Martchamadol & Kumar, 2013; Dźwigoł, Dźwigoł-Barosz, Zhyvko, Miśkiewicz & Pushak, 2019
Energy consumption intensity
14
Methodology
In response to the main research question and using rational-conceptual modeling method, we first identified fourteen indicators for assessing energy security. Then, we identified the threats and opportunities arising from the transition to renewable resources in each of these indicators. Next, with documentary and descriptive content analysis methods, we demonstrated which of these threats and opportunities Iran has faced or will face, and to which of them it has paid attention in its macro-policy-making and high-level documents.
Results
In Table 2, we categorized the most important threats and opportunities affecting the stability or improvement of Iran's energy security.
Table 2. Threats and opportunities of renewable resources for Iran's energy security
Threats and opportunities
Indicator
Change in public perception towards non-renewable resources and domestic and international public opinion pressures
Acceptability
1
Positive public perception of renewable resource exploitation
Loss of oil and gas resources during production process
De-legitimization of governmental oil and gas derivatives consumption methods
Utilization of the country's capacity in wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy production
Sustainability
2
Probable future reduction in oil and gas resources
Investment in export of renewable energy
Demand continuity
3
Reducing dependency on international oil and gas demand
Aggravation of climate crises and increasing pollution of biochemical cycles due to fossil resource production and consumption
Environmental sustainability
4
Enhancement of environmental sustainability with renewable resources
International sanctions on oil and gas technologies and renewable energy technologies
Supply continuity
5
International sanctions on oil and gas sales
Development of unconventional oil and gas resources exploitation
Global prices increase
Decrease in job opportunities in oil and gas industries
New job opportunities in renewable energy sector
Increased public access to renewable resources to expand local development
Accessibility
6
Rentier state and the need to reduce dependency on oil and gas revenues
Democracy
7
Reduction in distribution of oil and gas incomes
Distribution of incomes
8
Possibility of creating new public revenues through renewable energy sources
Increase in the role of other energy sources versus oil and gas
Energy import dependency
9
Diversity of resources
10
Relying solely on Estimating resources and reserves volume
Estimating resources and Reserve-to-production ratio
11
Social protests due to energy-related issues
Political stability
12
Increase in energy carrier prices
Affordability
13
Optimizing energy consumption
Energy consumption intensity
14
Examining high-level documents of Iran’s energy shows that the greatest attention has been paid to Affordability and Energy consumption intensity indicators, while the least attention has been given to Acceptability and political stability indicators, and to some extent, Supply continuity indicators.
Conclusion
It seems that understanding the critical situation and deficiencies of Iran's energy security can only be achieved through recourse to the foundations of good governance, particularly good energy governance. Based on a general rule in good governance, such governance entails a tripartite relationship between the government, civil society and stakeholders. However, in high-level energy documents and general energy security policies, two other actors of good governance are absent. Acceptability, political stability, and to some extent, Supply continuity are indicators directly related to these other two kinds of actors.
Acknowledgments
The authors of this research are grateful to the referees for their valuable comments and suggestions.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)