The utility industry in 2020

Abstract

Energy is the very fuel of society and societies without access to competitive energy suffer. - Lee Raymond (past Chairman, Exxon Mobil) The future major challenge to the European energy system is to ensure the security of supply of energy with a low environmental impact while maintaining a sustainable level of market competitiveness within the European economy. The role of the utility industry is crucial to obtain the challenging but necessary balance between these three dimensions; the utility industry's task in the coming years will be to develop environmentally friendly technologies, to drive the energy interests, agreements and connections between different countries, and to find the way to let European customers be a responsible and committed part of this crucial change process. © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.