Assessing the diversification of energy mix with the methods of entropy and hierarchy of information

Abstract

Energy systems are a typical example of complex and dynamic systems and the study of their structure is of particular interest in theoretical and practical terms. Becoming the main trend of diversification and, renewable energies play important role in the evolution and dynamics of energy balances at the international, national, and local levels. Usually, natural sciences use Information Theory and the concept of entropy to assess diversity, uncertainty, and chaos in systems with a high number of components. An alternative approach to assess system complexity is to consider these issues from point of view of the concentration of resources, dominance, and hierarchy in the interactions between system components. This report presents an original method developed by the author for assessing the hierarchy in energy mix structures and the role of renewable energies. The author’s studies in the field of energy explore the evolution of markets and energy balances (energy mixes) on an international, regional and national level with a special focus on the European Union and Bulgaria. The hierarchy approach provides results in a more logical, objective, and balanced format and improves the analysis in terms of energy security and diversification. In this paper, is presented a research on the structure of the energy mix in Bulgaria.