World Energy Trilemma Index 2018

The World Energy Council’s Energy Trilemma Index ranks countries’ energy performance on three dimensions, Energy Security, Energy Equity, and Environmental Sustainability, based on global and national data. The results show impacts of decisions and changes, suggesting where policy coherence and integrated policy innovation can help develop well calibrated energy systems in the context of the Grand Energy Transition.

Healthy energy systems are secure, equitable and environmentally sustainable, showing a carefully managed balance between the three dimensions. Maintaining this balance in the context of rapid transition to decentralised, decarbonised, and digital systems is challenging: there are risks of passive trade-offs between equally critical priorities.

The 2018 Energy Trilemma Index Report, developed with the support of Oliver Wyman, shows that many countries are managing the balance successfully, with eight nations achieving a top AAA balance score.

The Energy Trilemma once more ranks Denmark, Switzerland and Sweden at the top, recognising the well-balanced energy systems in these countries.




 
Trends and the balance within the three dimensions also provide valuable information in helping countries address their energy Trilemma. The Trilemma online tool helps interrogate the scores and outcomes dynamically, exploring potential future change.

Decision makers in both the public and private sectors are encouraged to look at trends in performance over the years, particularly in each dimension, and to compare their countries against peer groups – including regional or GDP group peers. Although the ranking is influenced by the strength of a country's economy, there are examples where balanced and well managed systems overtake their GDP group peers in Trilemma performance.

Readers can use the Trilemma assessment to guide the attention of policy makers and energy communities to consider the future preparedness, agility, and adaptability of national energy systems.