Research Information System
International World Energy Conference (IWEC), Kayseri, Turkey, 3 - 04 December 2021, pp.337-348
The energy sector has an important role in the development policies of countries due to the increase in energy
prices with the increase in world energy demand and the tendency of energy resources to run out around the
world. This situation negatively affects the world economy and economies with high foreign dependency such
as the EU. With this study, it is important to determine the competitiveness of EU countries in the energy
sector and to create policies that increase energy efficiency in energy-intensive production and reduce energy
demand. This study aims to examine the competitiveness and foreign trade balance of EU countries in the
energy sector by using the data for the period of 2015-2019 and the Product Mapping Method proposed in
Widodo (2009) for EU countries. The results obtained from the study are summarized as follows: Bulgaria,
Czechia, France, Sweden, Slovenia, Romania, Portugal and Estonia in the electricity and derived heat sector;
Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Austria and Portugal in the biofuel sector; Denmark in
the petroleum and petroleum products sector (in 2017 only); Czechia (in 2016 only) and Poland (in 2015, 2016,
2017) in the solid fossil fuels sector; In the natural gas sector, the Netherlands (in 2015, 2016, 2017) is in
Group A. Countries in Group A both have comparative advantage and are net exporters in the relevant sectors.
The number of countries in Group A is higher in the electricity and derived heat and biofuels sectors. However,
it has been determined that the number of countries in Group D is quite high in the natural gas, solid fossil fuel
and petroleum and petroleum products sectors. Countries in Group D are countries that have a comparative
disadvantage in the relevant sectors and are net importers.