Data centres are key to high availability and around the clock access to information. As the number of data centres increases to satisfy the demand for data, so does their energy consumption. This thesis is a case study of the data centres located in the Node Pole region in the North of Sweden. It aims to look at aspects of both the energy supply of Norrbotten and the actual technologies used by the data centres to utilise this energy supply. Using a literature review to gather primary data, the first research question analyses the energy supply of Norrbotten, investigating its specificities through energy security theories, particularly looking through the aspects of availability, accessibility and affordability. The second question examines the Node Pole’s implementation response to the specific energy supply of the North of Sweden, and whether this response is efficient and sustainable, using the four Rs theory and the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). The results of the analysis show that the North of Sweden is currently in a privileged position: the energy produced in Norrbotten benefits from high availability criteria, is in oversupply, and thanks to the prevalence of hydropower and wind power in the energy mix, is very low in GHG emissions. The Swedish grid is reliable and robust, and Norbotten is no exception to that rule, providing the Node Pole with an accessible “plug and play” module to the electricity grid. In addition, the recent tax rebate aimed at the data centre industry means that the energy is affordable, more so in fact than in many other European countries. This assessment makes for a favourable breeding ground for data centres in the region from an energy security perspective. Meanwhile, the Node Pole data centres use ground-breaking cooling technologies consisting of airside cooling combined with adiabatic pads for humidity control (no separate humidification system), simple air filtration facilities (thanks to the outstanding air quality of the area),  and aerodynamic architectural premises layouts for better flow, reducing the cooling costs by increasing the efficiency of the overall air conditioning system. This technology is paired with innovative power distribution solutions (non-standard voltage and less UPS batteries), thereby considerably reducing the electricity consumption again and the waste of energy caused by voltage conversion. Combining the auspicious energy offerings of the Norrbotten region with the ingenious practical implementations of the data centres thus unleashes a new potential for more efficient and sustainable data centres.

This master's thesis aims to assess energy dependency on primary energy sources of the three main economic actors in the contemporary world scene that includes the European Union, the United States and China. Energy geopolitics gets a new face nowadays, turns upside down and the centers of world economy must face all these changes. Disparity in availability of energy sources and consumption, new drilling and manufacturing technologies, methods of extractions, new players and adopted energy policies as well as limited domestic supplies have a significant impact on the structure of the energy mix and energy (un)self-sufficiency. In the first part, the author deals with engineering and deployment of observed energy sources as well as the definition of energy dependency respectively energy security. In the next chapters, the author focuses especially on three economic centers while analyzing the nature, characteristics and trend of their production and consumption of energy as well as energy raw materials flow to these countries respectively to integrations. At the end, the author obtains by these analyses an image of energy dependency or vulnerability of these economies.

The thesis analyzes energy security in a group of countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the background of their relations with the Russian Federation. The first part defines energy security, then proceeds to a common energy policy of the European Union, analyzes the main problems and challenges and proposes possible solutions. The second part deals with energy dependency between the European Union and the Russian Federation, discusses Russian interests in the region and Russian energy policy. The last part of the thesis compares the energy policy of Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and Ukraine.

The thesis deals with the issue of energy security in geopolitically strategic region of South Caucasus. The focus is on analyzing the development of energy policy in the individual countries of the region since the collapse of the Soviet union. On this basis is determined the most important security challenge: Armenia. This challenge results from the need to counteract the influence of external actors in the region and to address long-standing regional conflicts that would contribute not only to the stability of the South Caucasus, but also help to fully realize the potential of the region as an important transit corridor for Caspian and Iranian energy resources.

This doctoral thesis focuses on Energy security of European Union with and accent on use of renewable energy sources as an energy security instrument. Main goal of this thesis was to identify, verify and then postulate options that could enhance current state of energy security of European Union. Main instrument of this activity is a theoretical model which introduces three specific options. First option is about off-grid and partially on-grid system used for home and autonomy energy production. Second option is a synergic link of infrastructure for off-shore wind farms with a marine energy. Third option is a maximization of energy efficiency, energy savings and energy storage concepts. Energy efficiency was identified as hierarchical condition mandatory for every single introduced options. All introduced options were verified against European energy law, against principles of energy security and against economical and security criteria. Final and most important criteria for plausibility of such options is embodied in European energy policy and current energy and climate strategies.

The master thesis deals with the problem of european energy security. The thesis covers also the cluster analysis, which assesses the current state of security in the individual member states. At the same time, the very last part of the thesis proposes measures to strengthen the EU's energy independence.

Orientador: Paulo César Souza Manduca / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T22:47:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Paiva_Iure_D.pdf: 3667186 bytes, checksum: 99b91ef99ac8af1dbb35832251502dbd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: A perspectiva defendida nesta tese parte do princípio de que as políticas e ações dirigidas a garantir os recursos energéticos para manutenção e desenvolvimento de um Estado e de sua população (segurança energética) admitem a pluralidade de concepções e a ampliação do conjunto de problemas confrontados, bem como uma diversidade de atores, contextos, interesses e objetivos. Diante dessa conjuntura, o objetivo geral desta tese é contribuir para a percepção de que os estudos científicos e as práticas políticas relativas à segurança energética não se restringem a uma perspectiva que relacione a temática exclusivamente à lógica da guerra, à "política de exceção", ao emprego de medidas excepcionais ou à consecução de objetivos predominantemente político-militares, tal qual defendem os autores das correntes clássicas e neoclássicos nos estudos sobre segurança. Dada a multiplicidade de questões com as quais está relacionada a segurança energética, os estudos científicos e as práticas políticas sobre segurança acabam, portanto, deixando de ser um domínio de significado e práticas restritos, os quais tendem, assim, a conviver com uma variedade de concepções e abordagens, em razão da diversidade desafios com os quais precisa confrontar. Além do embasamento teórico-analítico que sustenta a visão progressista aqui defendida sobre a compreensão dos fenômenos relativos à segurança energética, é igualmente de fundamental importância a análise de situações em concreto realizada a partir do contexto brasileiro. A análise da dimensão militar, ambiental e econômica da segurança energética no Brasil ressalta, sobretudo, a necessária contextualização dos fatos para a adequada compreensão da temática e demonstra como a questão é tratada de modo específico / Abstract: The approach advocated in this thesis part of the principle that the policies and actions aimed at securing the energy resources for maintenance and development of a state and its population (energy security) admit the plurality of conceptions and the expansion of the range of problems faced, and a variety of actors, contexts, interests and goals. Given this situation, the overall objective of this thesis is to contribute to the perception that scientific studies and energy security-related political practices are not restricted to a perspective that relates the subject exclusively to the logic of war, "exception policy", the use of exceptional measures or the achievement of a mainly political-military objectives, like argue the authors of the classical and neoclassical currents in security studies. Given the multiplicity of issues that are related to energy security, scientific studies and political practices on security end, therefore, no longer a meaning domain and restricted practices, which thus tend to live with a variety of concepts and approaches, because of the diversity challenges that must confront. In addition to the theoretical and analytical foundation that supports the progressive view defended here on the understanding of phenomena related to energy security, it is also paramount to analyze situations in concrete made from the Brazilian context. The analysis of the military dimension, environmental and economic energy security in Brazil highlights, above all, the necessary contextualization of the facts for the proper understanding of the subject and shows how the issue is dealt with in a specific way / Doutorado / Ciencia Politica / Doutor em Ciência Política

This thesis focuses on the discussion of the diversifying natural gas imports into the European Union and the role played by the Caspian region in this respect. The aim of the thesis is to describe the European Union's energy policy in the natural gas sector and to analyze the role of Caspian natural gas and the project of the Southern Gas Corridor. The question of relevance of the Caspian natural gas for strengthening the European Union's energy security comes along at the right time in the current debate on the further development of climate and energy policy. The policy, along with the draft framework for the creation of the Energy Union of 2015, integrates previously parallel European policies related to fight against climate change, energy security, internal energy market and external energy relations with third countries. The thesis is based on the hypothesis that the Caspian region is an alternative resource region capable of providing a diversification of natural gas imports to the European Union. The basic research questions are the following; "Is the European Union capable of influencing the conditions under which Caspian gas will be transported to Europe?" and "Is the Southern Gas Corridor capable of meeting the expectations of its planned volume of 60-120 billion cubic meters of natural...

The paper clearly shows that Russia has been diversifying its export routes during past 20 years, in order to by-pass third countries and to avoid paying additional transportation fees. The overall Russian export capacities of oil and gas are increasing, but in the same time the export volumes are stagnant. In case of oil transportation, pipelines are progressively substituted by sea transport, which enables Russia to participate on the world market. Situation with gas is different. Despite increasing export capacity Russia nowadays export almost the same amount of gas to the same locations as it did in 1990. It means that if there is any political or economical pressure it is laid against transition countries, which can be substituted, rather than against importing countries. Russian economical gains from export are following increasing oil and gas prices. To make the gains even higher, Russia initiated transition to world gas prices in the CIS countries as well as at the domestic market. To support the hypothesis of this thesis that primary goal of Russia is to increase its economical gains rather than to strengthen its political leverage, it is important to mention that majority of energy disputes of past twenty years were ignited by quarrel over prices and were settled by trade agreement. The...

This paper scrutinizes the Californian Electricity Crisis 2001 from the perspective of energy security. The work shows that deregulation of the electricity sector in California challenged the main energy security principle, namely an undisrupted energy supply at affordable prices. The principle is vital for economic development and national prosperity. Disruptions or blackouts along with unprecedented high electricity prices during the Californian crisis damaged not only the economy, but increased the budget deficit and led private generators of energy supply to bankruptcy. This damaged the policy of energy security management. The approach I take in addressing the causes of the Californian Electricity Crisis involves a case study; its examination from the perspective of energy security, clarification of the risks for energy security if the state authorities restructure electricity sector; and to extract lessons for future application, which should be learnt from the crisis. In order to be successful using the mentioned approach, I highlight the conditions in the western US electricity supply industry, which enabled the California crisis to happen. In addition, I describe the regulatory structure of the California electricity sector as well as the way the deregulation plan was implemented by...