The well-being of people, industry and the economy depends on safe, secure, sustainable, and affordable energy. The energy sector is one of the pillars of growth, competitiveness, and development for modern economies. Energy has always been a catalyst for change and growth. As the population increases all around the world and living standards improve, more energy than ever is needed.
Energy commodities are strategic goods. The energy market is a part of the commodity markets, a marketplace for buying, selling, and trading energy commodities like crude oil, gasoline, heating oil, coal, natural gas, LNG, electricity (power), and ethanol.
With a population of around 747 million inhabitants, European Union is one of the world's largest energy consumers. The value of the EU's Gross inland energy consumption in 2020 was 1'498 Mtoe (17'421.74 TWh). The EU, UK and Switzerland energy markets are fully integrated, regulated, and well-functioning internal markets, where electricity and gas are traded and supplied according to the highest integrity and transparency standards.
Through common energy market rules and cross-border infrastructure, energy can be produced in one country and delivered to consumers in another state.
Energy markets consist of both physical and financial elements. The physical markets contain the natural resources, infrastructure, institutions, and market participants involved in producing energy and delivering it to consumers. The financial markets include the buying and selling of financial instruments that derive value from the price of the physical commodity. Spot commodities markets involve immediate delivery, while Derivatives markets entail delivery in the future.
Traders transform energy commodities throughout energy trading in space, time, and form.
