ALTERNATIVE FUELS IN TRANSPORT AS ENERGY SECURITY FACTOR IN EUROPEAN UNION

Abstract

The Energy Union is aimed at providing secure, sustainable, competitive energy to the EU population at affordable prices. A thorough transformation of the European energy system is required to accomplish this goal. The Energy Union is an important project which is supposed to set a new direction and a clear long-term vision for the European energy and climate policy. Transport is one of the key sectors in terms of energy consumption. In 2015, 94% of the energy used transport originated from crude oil and the sector’s share in the total energy consumption was 34% (Eurostat, 2016). The aim of the article is to show the activities in respect of the implementation of the “Clean Energy for Transport” package and its importance for the implementation of the Energy Union objectives. The development of an alternative fuel market should reduce the dependence on oil and contribute to increased security of the energy supply for Europe, promote economic growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transport. Tools aimed at supporting the transition to low-carbon economy will be analyzed in the article. The scope of popularization of alternative fuels is determined to a large extent by market conditions and the extent to which an adequate infrastructure is developed. Hence, particular emphasis will be placed on the priorities for the development of technology and research, technical integration of solutions and financial support for alternative fuels.