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Shale gas and renewables: divergence or win-win for transatlantic energy cooperation?

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Abstract

The recent emphasis in Europe on sustainable energy differs from the North American emphasis on fossil fuels as secure and low-cost energy source. Priorities and policies to meet energy security, sustainability and competitiveness goals started to diverge between the transatlantic partners. New alliances formed to address changing market realities, climate change concerns and access to energy in poorer countries. Shale gas and renewables emerged as potential game changers. Instead of driving the transatlantic energy partnership apart, the pursuit of different alliances, policies and technologies explores complementary pathways to meet common goals. The sustained, public and private commitment in the USA to develop and scale up shale gas technology and Europe’s leadership in renewable market transformation provide win-win outcomes for transatlantic as well as global energy cooperation.

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Correspondence to Marianne Haug.

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Marianne Haug teaches Energy Policy, Energy Markets and Sustainable Development at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany. She chairs the Advisory Group on Energy at the European Commission and is Senior Research Advisor at the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies, Oxford University. During her professional career as Director at the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris, as Director at the World Bank, in Washington, DC, and subsequently as Chairman of the Forum für Zukunftsenergien in Berlin, she has focused on international energy, climate change and development issues in the private and public sector.

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Haug, M. Shale gas and renewables: divergence or win-win for transatlantic energy cooperation?. J Transatl Stud 10, 358–373 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1080/14794012.2012.734671

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