The position of Minister of Energy would help Estonia to stand out, Andrei Belyi, the author of a recent ICDS report on the gas market and energy security, told to the Estonian business newspaper Ärileht.
By comparison, Belyi referred to Lithuania, which, thanks to the position of Minister of Energy, has succeeded in defending its interests in Europe more successfully than Estonia. While the European Union declined funding for the Paldiski gas terminal, Lithuania succeeded in obtaining EU funding for the construction of the Klaipėda LNG terminal.
In the opinion of Belyi, the Ministry of Energy should also include environmental issues.
In his research, Belyi argued that in the future, Estonia could start producing electricity from natural gas instead of oil shale, because it would be more environmentally friendly and economically viable. However, this raises the issue of security as Estonia imports natural gas from Russia.
Read the full article in Estonian in the July 10 issue of Ärileht.
The full report “Stepping on the Gas: Future-Proofing Estonia’s Energy Market and Security” can be read and downloaded here.