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Since the demise of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has emerged as a major player in the global energy market. The region holds substantial oil and gas reserves. The development of these resources and the choosing of transit routes have been subject to intense competition among external powers, particularly Europe, Russia and China. This essay examines the conflicting strategies pursued by Brussels, Moscow and Beijing. It argues that these global powers would benefit more by promoting political stability and economic prosperity in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Key Words: Caucasus; Central Asia; Caspian region; Oil and gas strategies; Europe, Russia and China's oil and gas strategies.

The growing demand for air conditioning, particularly in hot and humid climates has caused a significant increase in demand for energy resources. A promising solar technology with potential to alleviate the problem is an open absorption system, where humidity is absorbed directly from the air to be treated by direct contact with the absorbent. The absorbent is then regenerated, again in direct contact with an external air stream, at relatively low temperatures of the heat source. The paper describes a study of a liquid desiccant cooling system designed to air-condition a group of offices on the top floor of a building in the Mediterranean city of Haifa, Israel. The system is capable of using as its source of power low-grade solar heat, of the type obtainable from low-cost flat plate collectors, and has a potential to provide both cooling and dehumidification in variable ratios, as required by the load. Several cycle variations have been considered, corresponding to different design options. A parametric study shows that entrance conditions of the ambient air significantly affect the heat and mass transfer occurring during the dehumidification process. The temperatures and flow rates of the heating and cooling water and the flow rates of solution through the dehumidifier and regenerator affect the humidity of the supply air delivered to the conditioned space, and show an optimum in certain cases. [DOI: 10.1115/1.1690284] Keywords: Dehumidifier, Evaporator, Regenerator, Absorber, Cooling, Dehumidification, Air Conditioning

AMERICA IS AT WAR. THE ECONOMY IS DOWN. Global prosperity, stability, and environment are at risk. Domestic politics is reverting to gridlock, driven by the coming battle for both houses […]

A specialist on geopolitical issues involving the world's energy resources explores the implications of rising energy demand in Asia as a function of future economic development in high-population countries (e.g., China, India) in the region. A focus is on issues and challenges in managing energy security and the potential for cooperation and conservation vis-a-vis competition in energy resource allocation. Included in the analysis is consideration of the role of rising oil output from Russia and the possible development of new hydrocarbon resources in Kazakhstan, the Russian Far East, and East Siberia as a potential source of supply for China. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: L71, O10, Q41. 2 tables, 40 references.

Research and forecasts regarding the future energy needs and consumption habits of South Korea are given. Energy consumption grew very fast in the 1990's, slowed during the financial crisis of 1997and is expected to grow from 2000-2005.

A computer system has been designed to carry out cost/benefit and energy efficiency analyses of energy efficiency measures in the Mexican city of Mexicali, where many customers take part in demand side management programmes.

A criticism of an article by Dr. Grubler and co-authors in Energy Policy 27 (5), 1999, is presented, focusing on the dynamics of energy technologies and global change.

Vietnam's Ministry of Energy conducted a survey of the energy usage of 1,600 households in four of its northern provinces in Oct 1992. The analysis included the presentation of various energy consumption data and the quantification of the relationship of demand to income, population and energy prices. The results were used to analyse energy usage so that energy planning and policy formation can be made.

Yearly data covering the period 1962-1989 dealing with residential energy demand in Ontario, Canada, showed that the alleged asymmetric price responses lose much of their asymmetry once inter-fuel substitution is taken into account. Such price asymmetry was often cited in earlier researches because of the observed differences in the responses to increase and decrease of energy prices. Nevertheless, the quantity of capital stocks is an important factor in energy demand.

Nigerian households are expected to increase its energy demand as the country's economy and population grow. Using a supply/demand balance approach in the evaluation of the household energy sector, it was found that promotion of interfuel substitution is necessary to stabilize fuelwood demand at the current levels. More fundamentally, an improved woodstove program must be combined with interfuel substitution to ensure stabilization of demand.

An empirical method for assessing the impact of expected energy prices on energy demand is introduced. The results of an econometric analysis show that expected prices had considerable influence on energy in the US for the period 1975-89. A model derived from these findings suggests that the quantity of emissions abated by a carbon tax is affected by the way in which consumers anticipated changes in energy prices that result from the tax.

Using the theory of the firm, the effects of unbalanced rates of output growth on aggregate energy demand are examined. Theoretical results show that failure to consider unbalanced growth leads to bias in aggregate price elasticity estimates. Empirically, differential output growth rates are important contributors to the overall growth of energy and other inputs; they can be as important as net price effects in explaining input growth. Unbalanced growth effects help to explain changes in labor's productivity growth and have increased in importance since the Arab oil embargo. They are quite significant relative to other sources of change during business cycle downturns. [C] 1992 Academic Press, Inc.

The dissolution of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) could further isolate North Korea from the international community and make defusing the country's nuclear ambitions more difficult in 2006. The dissolution might prove to be a significant setback to broader multinational efforts to address looming and potentially dangerous disputes over energy resources in the world's fastest growing economic region.

Byline: Fedor Molochko, Andrew Molochko Scientifically based selection of criteria, called indicators of energy safety, offers a methodology for the estimation of the extent of possible damage to a region caused by different levels of limitation on the supply of energy resources.

Byline: A.M. Martin Ferguson In this speech, the then opposition minister for primary industries, resources and tourism discusses the possibility that a new Cold War has emerged in the competition over energy resources. He notes the importance of diversifying energy resources. He also stresses the need for careful consideration of whom Australia is supplying with uranium, suggesting using the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a benchmark.

Byline: Jean Louis Bobin The evolution of human societies depends upon the availability of energy resources. Since the word energy does not have the same meaning for physicists and the general public, this point is clarified first. Then, a selection of energy and societal problems are reviewed. Although energy per se does not drive society, it has played a major role in the successive industrial revolutions which have occurred since the end of the 18th century. Political power belongs to those who possess or control energy resources. As time elapses, a slow process of energy substitution takes place, wood being replaced by coal, then coal being replaced by oil and natural gas. Whether there will be a new shift towards nuclear energy is not yet clear. Recent concerns such as environmental impacts and health hazards are of growing importance and could influence future evolutions. Scenarios ranging from catastrophic collapse to sustainable development are elaborated; their content and implications are discussed.