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Open research questions in Global Energy Security and Policy

171 gap statements mined from Global Energy Security and Policy papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 1,954 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • Measuring and forecasting of electricity security performance is still an open issue.

    Dependency and diversity – Electricity transition and security in the Visegrad Group countries (V4) · 2024 · DOI

  • Currently, most research on the hydrogen economy looks at developed countries, but it remains unclear how a transition based on hydrogen may impact the Global South.

    Is “Greening” Hydrogen the New Oil? The Governance of Social and Political Risk in Emerging North–South Hydrogen Trade Collaborations · 2024 · DOI

  • The transition to clean energy is one of the most important trends of development in the contemporary world, and ensuring energy security during the energy transition has naturally become an issue that urgently needs to be studied.

    Clean energy transition and energy security in metropolises: A case study of Beijing under the “coal-to-gas” movement · 2024 · DOI

  • The need to develop strategies to mitigate the risks of supply disruptions.

    Research on the crisis propagation of global LNG port trade · 2026 · DOI

  • Current research primarily focuses on static data and country-level analysis. There is a lack of studies on the crisis propagation of global LNG port trade using complex network theory.

    Research on the crisis propagation of global LNG port trade · 2026 · DOI

  • The research highlights the need for a 'Middle-Power Standard' in ESG criteria, balancing the reliability of fossil fuels with green innovation.

    Hedging Energy Security through Infrastructure Diplomacy: The Pursuit of Economic Sovereignty in Azerbaijan-Indonesia Energy Cooperation Post-COP29 · 2026 · DOI

  • The EU-wide mechanism was only applied from February 2023 when the crisis was already subsiding. The analysis is limited to the time period from April 2021 to May 2022.

    EU-ETS emergency reserve price curbs coal use and shields consumers during natural gas price shocks · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a comprehensive analysis of the energy interests of the United States in the foreign policy of the Persian Gulf countries. The importance of understanding the initial stages of energy diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and other countries.

    The Energy Interests of the United States in the Foreign Policy of the Persian Gulf Countries · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should analyze the long-term implications of Europe's energy decoupling from Russia. The study's findings highlight the need for further research on the impact of energy decoupling on energy security and geopolitical relations. Additional research is needed to understand the role of other energy suppliers, such as the US, in promoting European energy security.

    Energy security dynamics in Europe amid transatlantic decoupling from Russia · 2026 · DOI

  • The research highlights the need for a comprehensive analysis of the strategic, institutional, and normative dimensions of energy politics.

    Energy security dynamics in Europe amid transatlantic decoupling from Russia · 2026 · DOI

  • The analysis is intentionally limited to a historically consistent panel framework, while increasingly important factors such as renewable-energy expansion and the structural market changes after 2022 fall outside the present specification and may be examined more fully in future research.

    Electricity Trade in Southeast Europe: Evidence from Bulgaria and Its Neighboring Interconnected Markets · 2026 · DOI

  • Across the European Union, output is set to increase by more than 2% in 2021, due primarily to higher electricity demand in France and a new reactor in Slovakia, but this increase is insufficient to make up for the drop in 2020.

    Long-term EU energy dependence on Russia and its transformation after 2022 · 2026 · DOI

  • Second, although the EU issued a joint declaration with Central Asian countries to enhance CRM cooperation, the extent to which this initiative will contribute to regional integration remains uncertain, especially given that the EU has simultaneously pursued bilateral agreements with individual states.

    A Silver Lining or Wishful Thinking? Central Asia in the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Strategy · 2026 · DOI

  • While extensive literature has addressed EU–Russia energy ties, the mechanisms through which geopolitical shocks reshape energy policies – particularly the interplay between securitisation, diversification, and strategic leadership – remain insufficiently theorised.

    The Geopolitical Energy Transition Between Russia and the EU (2014–2024): An Analysis of Germany’s Role in Reshaping Energy Security After the Ukraine Crisis · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of panel-based studies examining demand-side factors, supply-side factors, and economic development. The need for empirical evidence on the determinants of energy import dependency across European Union member states.

    Structural Drivers of Energy Import Dependency and Fiscal Resilience: Evidence from the European Union · 2026 · DOI

  • Political asymmetries and infrastructure gaps limit deeper integration. External geopolitical pressures and institutional fragmentation constrain independent energy strategies. Disparities in economic development and institutional capacity affect project implementation.

    Is Energy Union Possible in the Organization of Turkic States? · 2026 · DOI

  • The need to consider system-environment interactions in evaluating policy options. The challenge of distinguishing between options that are practically executable and those that are tied to an ideal environment.

    Environment-system conflict (ENSY) in policy making and strategic analysis: a case study of hydrogen energy · 2026 · DOI

  • The use of natural gas as a transition fuel has potential shortcomings. The EU's gas price cap has limited effectiveness in reducing excess CO2 emissions. Countries with a mix of electricity generation that still rely relatively more on coal and are more sensitive to gas prices tend to experience the largest excess CO2 emissions.

    EU-ETS emergency reserve price curbs coal use and shields consumers during natural gas price shocks · 2026 · DOI

  • The EU's overreliance on Russian natural gas has created a systemic risk.

    Evolving Patterns Of Energy Security In Europe And Its Impact On Regional Power Structure · 2026 · DOI

  • The existing literature predominantly argues that state capacity for industrial policy depends on nationally oriented features. The paper identifies a gap in understanding the internationally oriented dimension of state capacity.

    Internationalizing Industrial Policy: How China and the United States Use State Capacity to Secure Critical Minerals for Electric Vehicles · 2026 · DOI

  • The study relies on secondary data, which may lag real-time developments - There are potential biases in official sources - The analysis is limited to the period…

    From Vulnerability to Diversification: The Baltic States’ Energy Landscape Amidst the Russia–Ukraine War · 2026 · DOI

  • The emergence of several new dimensions means that no universally accepted definition of energy security exists - The study aims to address this gap by analysing the Baltic States' energy landscape - The paper evaluates the role of infrastructure and EU support in the region's transition to energy…

    From Vulnerability to Diversification: The Baltic States’ Energy Landscape Amidst the Russia–Ukraine War · 2026 · DOI

  • The challenge of transitioning from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a more diversified one, - The need to balance economic and environmental considerations, - The challenge of integrating digital technologies into the energy…

    Kazakhstan’s Energy Diplomacy from Hydrocarbon Power to Decarbonization · 2026 · DOI

  • The need to examine how changes in global energy markets and the diffusion of digital technologies are reshaping Kazakhstan's energy diplomacy, - The lack of studies on the impact of energy digitalization on the country's energy…

    Kazakhstan’s Energy Diplomacy from Hydrocarbon Power to Decarbonization · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research on the implementation of coordinated infrastructure investments and harmonized energy policies in the OTS region. Investigation of the impact of renewable energy collaboration and regional governance mechanisms on collective energy security and sustainable economic development. Analysis of the geopolitical implications of an institutionalized regional energy union in the OTS region.

    Is Energy Union Possible in the Organization of Turkic States? · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Global Energy Security and Policy

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) There is a lack of studies on the crisis propagation of global LNG port trade using complex network theory (“Research on the crisis propagation of global LNG port trade”, 2026); (2) Future research should analyze the long-term implications of Europe's energy decoupling from Russia (“Energy security dynamics in Europe amid transatlantic decoupling from Russia”, 2026); (3) The lack of panel-based studies examining demand-side factors, supply-side factors, and economic development (“Structural Drivers of Energy Import Dependency and Fiscal Resilience: Evidence…”, 2026); (4) Currently, most research on the hydrogen economy looks at developed countries, but it remains unclear how a transition based on hydrogen may impact the Global South (“Is “Greening” Hydrogen the New Oil? The Governance of Social and Political Risk…”, 2024). 171 gap statements have been mined from Global Energy Security and Policy papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 1,954 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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