This paper deals with the question if the concept of structural power explain the tripartite relationship between Russia, Poland and the USA within the gas supply sector and what is the impact on Poland’s dependency on Russian gas.
In order to answer these questions, this paper is divided into six sections. The first section presents Andrej Pustovitovskij’s approach of structural power, which serves as the theoretical framework for this paper. Secondly, the method and data used in this paper will be discussed. The analysis, forming the fourth section, aims at answering the research question. It firstly examines the relation between Russia and Poland in the field of gas supply and assesses whether the USA represents a credible Outside Option. The second part of the analysis evaluates the impact of current developments within the tripartite relationship on Poland’s dependence on Russian gas. Within the fifth section the results are summarized and discussed. The last section briefly considers potential future perspectives of the Polish and European gas supply sector and points out the limitations of this paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Approach
2.1 Energy Security and its Relevance in Foreign Policy
2.2 The Concept of Structural Power
3. Method & Data
4. Analysis
4.1 Russia
4.2 Poland
4.3 The USA as Outside Option
4.4 Impacts on Poland's Dependence on Russian Gas Supply
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
Research Objective and Focus
This paper investigates the tripartite relationship between Russia, Poland, and the USA within the gas supply sector, specifically analyzing whether the concept of structural power can explain this dynamic and how the USA as an "Outside Option" impacts Poland's dependence on Russian natural gas.
- The theoretical application of structural power in international energy relations.
- The analysis of Russia's role as a dominant gas supplier and the political implications of this dependency.
- The strategic emergence of the USA as an alternative source of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
- The evaluation of Poland's energy policy shifts and its diversification efforts to reduce reliance on Russia.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 Poland
Poland is shaped by a conservative energy structure since the Polish energy mix is primarily dominated by fossil fuels (Cikovic 2008: 122). While the country produces large quantities of coal itself, natural gas needs to be imported to a considerable extent (Grabau 2016: 245-247). Natural gas accounts for the smallest share of Poland’s energy mix, but its import has risen steadily. Moreover, it is very likely that the dependence on imports will further increase (ibid.). This is based on a higher demand for energy in general and Poland’s commitment to reduce coal consumption. In this regard and as mentioned before, natural gas is considered indispensable as a complementary energy source to regenerative energy sources for the decades to come (Wolf 2018: 6). In the end, this leads to a growing importance of natural gas as a ‘limited good’ for Poland, as it implies a gradual replacement of coal and, concurrently, a steady increase in natural gas consumption (Götz 2012: 452-453).
Around two thirds of the quantities of natural gas are provided by Russia through the Yamal Pipeline, demonstrating that Poland is heavily dependent on Russian gas imports (Grabau 2016: 246). The most important reason for the high dependence not only results from the long Soviet domination in the region but also from a lack of alternatives, viz. credible Outside Options, due to the inherited pipeline infrastructure running through Poland and offering the easiest and cheapest way to deliver gas to Europe (Cikovic 2008: 122; Krämer 2011: 129).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the research question regarding the impact of US LNG as an Outside Option on Poland’s energy dependency on Russia.
2. Theoretical Approach: Discusses energy security within foreign policy and establishes the structural power concept as the analytical framework.
3. Method & Data: Details the application of a descriptive and causal single case study methodology to test the research hypotheses.
4. Analysis: Examines the roles of Russia and Poland, evaluates the USA as an Outside Option, and assesses the impacts on Poland's gas supply dependence.
5. Discussion: Synthesizes the research findings, confirming that the emergence of US LNG has successfully begun to relativize Russia's structural power.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s results, acknowledges limitations, and provides an outlook on the future of European energy security.
Keywords
Structural Power, Energy Security, Poland, Russia, USA, Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, Gas Supply, Dependence, Diversification, Outside Option, Energy Policy, Foreign Policy, Geopolitics, Nord Stream 2
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This paper focuses on the tripartite energy relationship between Russia, Poland, and the USA, examining how the US entry into the European gas market affects existing power dynamics.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include the theory of structural power, energy security, the diversification of gas supplies in Eastern Europe, and the geopolitical competition between traditional pipeline suppliers and LNG exporters.
What is the primary research objective?
The objective is to determine if the concept of structural power explains the influence of the USA as a credible "Outside Option" on Poland's dependence on Russian gas.
Which methodology is employed to conduct the analysis?
The research uses a dual-approach single case study: a descriptive analysis to frame the phenomenon and a causal analysis to evaluate the impact of US LNG contracts on Poland's import structure.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body examines Russia’s strategy as an energy superpower, Poland’s historical and current energy dependencies, the rise of the US as a competing energy actor, and the specific impact of new LNG agreements on Polish supply security.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is best described by terms such as structural power, energy security, Poland, Russia, USA, LNG, and supply diversification.
How does the author define the "Outside Option" in this context?
The author defines an Outside Option as an actor that possesses a good which satisfies the needs of another actor, offered under comparable conditions, thereby strengthening the bargaining position of the latter in a negotiation.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding Poland's energy future?
The author concludes that Poland has successfully leveraged US LNG to reduce its dependency on Russia, expecting the trend toward diversification to solidify after the expiration of the Yamal contract in 2022.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2019, Russia, Poland and the USA. Exercising Structural Power within the Field of Energy Policy, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/519965
