The Energy Challenge of East-Central Europe

Speaker: Piotr D. Moncarz, Ph.D., P.E., SCPM

Consulting
Professor, Stanford University

Chairman, US-Polish Trade
Council

Thursday, Feb 10, 2011, 7:30pm Place: University of
Washington, Walker Ames Room at Kane Hall

The relationship between per capita energy consumption and productivity,
GDP, and market competitiveness is well-documented in macro- and
micro-economical studies. It is not surprising, therefore, that
countries experiencing dynamic restructuring and re-definition of their
economies in the post-communist era are even more concerned about their
energy supply than established Western economies.

While governments in Central and Eastern Europe struggled with their
dependence on a Russia-controlled supply of natural gas, some states–
particularly Poland and Ukraine— were able to protect themselves from
total Russian energy dependence using their immense reserves of coal.
Since then, the Russian Federation has further strengthened its
monopolistic position as CEE’s supplier of natural gas and the European
Union has established draconian limits on greenhouse emissions for its
existing and would-be member states. Under these circumstances, Poland
and other transitioning states must consider alternatives such as
imports of Liquid Natural Gas, nuclear power plant construction, coal
gasification, and shale gas. With increased exploration of
technological alternatives, it may soon be possible for Central and East
Europe to meet European environmental standards without sacrificing
geopolitical and economic security.

Program co-sponsored by

Polish American Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest (PACC PNW)

University of Washington Polish Studies Endowment Committee (UWPSEC)

Jackson School of International Studies/Russian, East European, Central
Asian Studies (REECAS)

Public Relations contact: Teresa Indelak-Davis tdavis@microsoft.com