Even within a country it is appropriate to talk about energy policy, in the plural. Influential entities, such as municipal or regional governments, and energy industries, may pursue different energy policies. They have less sovereignty, but the effects can be as important as those of national energy policy. In fact, there are certain activities vital to energy policy that cannot realistically be managed at a national level, such as ensuring that energy efficiency regulations are met when a building is constructed, which is normally controlled by subnational or municipal bodies (even if the regulations have national scope).

Energy policy is a fundamental part of economic policy.[6]​ Likewise, an energy policy that provides a reliable and well-priced supply to companies is considered a pillar of industrial policy.[7]​ It is also closely related to environmental policy and climate policy,[8]​ if these two can be differentiated at a time when global warming is humanity's first problem.[9]​

On the other hand, energy policy can decisively influence foreign policy, when a country is poor in energy resources and needs to ensure supply (for example, China), or vice versa, when it is very rich, and seeks to secure markets or influence other countries through a cheap energy supply (oil diplomacy).[10]​.

Brazil

Brazil is the tenth largest energy consumer in the world and the largest in South America. At the same time, it is a major producer of oil and natural gas, and the world's second largest producer of fuel ethanol "Ethanol (fuel)"). The organizations responsible for energy policy are the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), the National Council for Energy Policy (CNPE for its acronym in Portuguese), the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) and the National Electricity Agency (ANEEL).[11][12] The companies Petrobras and Eletrobrás, owned by the State, are the main actors in Brazil's energy sector.[13]​.

Canada

Canada is a territory rich in natural resources, including energy resources. Its use generates tensions between the national government and the provinces (the Canadian territorial division, which in the US are states or in Germany, Länder). Furthermore, policies have varied over time, sometimes being favorable to consumers and other times to producers. The use of tar sands to extract oil and export it to the US has also generated tensions, since it is a process that emits a large amount of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, and Canada has signed the Kyoto Protocol, which limits these emissions.[14]​.

USA

Currently U.S. energy policy revolves around rapidly growing domestic production of oil and natural gas. The movement towards energy independence and less dependence on oil and coal causes multiple conflicts between Republicans and Democrats, because there is no agreement on how to reconcile environmental protection with economic growth. There are also the competing interests of the very powerful fossil fuel industry and the new renewable energy companies.

European Union

Although the European Union has legislated, set objectives and negotiated internationally in the area of ​​energy policy for many years, and its seed was the European Coal and Steel Community, the concept of introducing a mandatory common energy policy was not approved until the European Council meeting on 27 October 2005 in London. Following this approval, the European Commission published the first energy policy proposals, Energy for a changing world on January 10, 2007. The best-known objectives of the EU's energy policy are the 20/20/20 goals, mandatory for all members. The EU is planning to increase the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption to 20%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and increase energy efficiency by 20%.[15]​.

In September 2010, the German Government adopted a set of ambitious objectives to transform its energy system and to reduce its emissions by 80 to 95% by 2050 (compared to 1990).[16] This transformation was called Energiewende. After the Fukushima disaster, the Government decided to gradually abandon nuclear energy,[17]​ which would be completed in 2022.[18]​ In 2014 the country was making steady progress in this transition.[19]​.

See the Energy policy section within the article Energy in Spain.

The UK's energy policy has managed to reduce energy intensity (although it remains very high), reduce energy poverty and maintain reliability of supply. The UK has an ambitious target to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions for future years, but it is unclear whether current programs are sufficient to achieve this. The path towards energy efficiency like that of France is still hard. Regarding energy self-sufficiency, UK policy does not address this issue other than to accept that historic self-sufficiency is ceasing to exist (due to declining North Sea oil production). In terms of transport, the historical results of the policy of encouraging public transport links between large cities are good, despite encountering problems with high-speed rail (much more energy efficient than the plane and comparable in time for trips of up to 2 and a half hours, counting the times necessary to access the airport - generally far from the cities -, check in luggage and pass security checks),[20][21]​ which has the potential to drastically reduce domestic flights and short flights. Europeans. However, the use of hybrid vehicles or ethanol as fuel has not been significantly encouraged, options that in 2014 were the most viable in the short term to moderate the growing consumption of fuel "Ethanol (fuel)") for transportation (in 2019 the idea is to promote battery electric vehicles and put an end to fossil fuels,[22]​ and biofuels, by 2050). Regarding renewable energy, the UK has targets for wind and tidal energy. The Energy White Paper 2007 set a target that, by 2020, 20% of the UK's energy should come from renewable sources.

China

Since 2000, Chinese energy policy has been focused on security of supply, moving from an energy exporter (coal and oil) to an importer, due to its high energy consumption.[23] In 2005, the State Energy Office was created, which aims to provide energy policy with strategy, clarity and authority. It has also created an important crude oil storage to protect itself against market fluctuations and possible disruptions to oil tanker traffic.[23] China maintains tense military relations with some neighbors, and a possible armed conflict could alter these traffic.[23]​.

India

India's energy policy is characterized by the balances that are attempted to be struck between 4 important factors:

In recent years, these balances have led to an important set of continuous reforms, restructuring and emphasis on energy savings.

The Soviet Union and Russia

The former Soviet Union was the largest energy producer in the world until the end of the 1980s-1990s. Today's Russia, the main member of the Soviet Union, is now one of the world's energy superpowers. It has large energy reserves, is the largest net energy exporter in the world, and an important supplier to the European Union. The main document defining Russia's energy policy is the Energy Strategy, which initially set out policies until 2020, and was subsequently reviewed, amended and extended until 2030. Russia has also signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Many experts warn that Russia uses its energy exports as an instrument of foreign policy.[24]​[25]​.

Thailand

Thailand's energy policy is characterized by 1) increasing energy efficiency, 2) increasing domestic energy production, 3) increasing the role of the private sector, 4) increasing the role of market mechanisms in setting energy prices. These policies have been consistent since the 1990-2000 decade, despite several changes in governments. The pace and manner of liberalization and privatization of the energy sector has been highly controversial.

Bangladesh

The first National Energy Policy (NEP) of Bangladesh was formulated in 1996 by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to ensure proper exploration, production, distribution and consumption of energy resources to sustainably meet the growing energy demands of different areas, sectors and consumers.[1] With the rapid changes in global and national situations, this policy was updated in 2004. The updated policy included additional objectives to ensure environmentally sustainable energy development programs that caused minimal damage to the environment, to encourage citizens and the private sector in the development and management of the energy sector, and to complete electrifying the country by 2020.[2].

Australia

Australia's energy policy features a mix of coal-fired power plants and hydroelectric power plants. The Australian Government has decided not to build nuclear power plants, despite the fact that the country is one of the world's largest producers of uranium, the fuel for these facilities.

Even within a country it is appropriate to talk about energy policy, in the plural. Influential entities, such as municipal or regional governments, and energy industries, may pursue different energy policies. They have less sovereignty, but the effects can be as important as those of national energy policy. In fact, there are certain activities vital to energy policy that cannot realistically be managed at a national level, such as ensuring that energy efficiency regulations are met when a building is constructed, which is normally controlled by subnational or municipal bodies (even if the regulations have national scope).

Energy policy is a fundamental part of economic policy.[6]​ Likewise, an energy policy that provides a reliable and well-priced supply to companies is considered a pillar of industrial policy.[7]​ It is also closely related to environmental policy and climate policy,[8]​ if these two can be differentiated at a time when global warming is humanity's first problem.[9]​

On the other hand, energy policy can decisively influence foreign policy, when a country is poor in energy resources and needs to ensure supply (for example, China), or vice versa, when it is very rich, and seeks to secure markets or influence other countries through a cheap energy supply (oil diplomacy).[10]​.

Brazil

Brazil is the tenth largest energy consumer in the world and the largest in South America. At the same time, it is a major producer of oil and natural gas, and the world's second largest producer of fuel ethanol "Ethanol (fuel)"). The organizations responsible for energy policy are the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), the National Council for Energy Policy (CNPE for its acronym in Portuguese), the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) and the National Electricity Agency (ANEEL).[11][12] The companies Petrobras and Eletrobrás, owned by the State, are the main actors in Brazil's energy sector.[13]​.

Canada

Canada is a territory rich in natural resources, including energy resources. Its use generates tensions between the national government and the provinces (the Canadian territorial division, which in the US are states or in Germany, Länder). Furthermore, policies have varied over time, sometimes being favorable to consumers and other times to producers. The use of tar sands to extract oil and export it to the US has also generated tensions, since it is a process that emits a large amount of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, and Canada has signed the Kyoto Protocol, which limits these emissions.[14]​.

USA

Currently U.S. energy policy revolves around rapidly growing domestic production of oil and natural gas. The movement towards energy independence and less dependence on oil and coal causes multiple conflicts between Republicans and Democrats, because there is no agreement on how to reconcile environmental protection with economic growth. There are also the competing interests of the very powerful fossil fuel industry and the new renewable energy companies.

European Union

Although the European Union has legislated, set objectives and negotiated internationally in the area of ​​energy policy for many years, and its seed was the European Coal and Steel Community, the concept of introducing a mandatory common energy policy was not approved until the European Council meeting on 27 October 2005 in London. Following this approval, the European Commission published the first energy policy proposals, Energy for a changing world on January 10, 2007. The best-known objectives of the EU's energy policy are the 20/20/20 goals, mandatory for all members. The EU is planning to increase the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption to 20%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and increase energy efficiency by 20%.[15]​.

In September 2010, the German Government adopted a set of ambitious objectives to transform its energy system and to reduce its emissions by 80 to 95% by 2050 (compared to 1990).[16] This transformation was called Energiewende. After the Fukushima disaster, the Government decided to gradually abandon nuclear energy,[17]​ which would be completed in 2022.[18]​ In 2014 the country was making steady progress in this transition.[19]​.

See the Energy policy section within the article Energy in Spain.

The UK's energy policy has managed to reduce energy intensity (although it remains very high), reduce energy poverty and maintain reliability of supply. The UK has an ambitious target to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions for future years, but it is unclear whether current programs are sufficient to achieve this. The path towards energy efficiency like that of France is still hard. Regarding energy self-sufficiency, UK policy does not address this issue other than to accept that historic self-sufficiency is ceasing to exist (due to declining North Sea oil production). In terms of transport, the historical results of the policy of encouraging public transport links between large cities are good, despite encountering problems with high-speed rail (much more energy efficient than the plane and comparable in time for trips of up to 2 and a half hours, counting the times necessary to access the airport - generally far from the cities -, check in luggage and pass security checks),[20][21]​ which has the potential to drastically reduce domestic flights and short flights. Europeans. However, the use of hybrid vehicles or ethanol as fuel has not been significantly encouraged, options that in 2014 were the most viable in the short term to moderate the growing consumption of fuel "Ethanol (fuel)") for transportation (in 2019 the idea is to promote battery electric vehicles and put an end to fossil fuels,[22]​ and biofuels, by 2050). Regarding renewable energy, the UK has targets for wind and tidal energy. The Energy White Paper 2007 set a target that, by 2020, 20% of the UK's energy should come from renewable sources.

China

Since 2000, Chinese energy policy has been focused on security of supply, moving from an energy exporter (coal and oil) to an importer, due to its high energy consumption.[23] In 2005, the State Energy Office was created, which aims to provide energy policy with strategy, clarity and authority. It has also created an important crude oil storage to protect itself against market fluctuations and possible disruptions to oil tanker traffic.[23] China maintains tense military relations with some neighbors, and a possible armed conflict could alter these traffic.[23]​.

India

India's energy policy is characterized by the balances that are attempted to be struck between 4 important factors:

In recent years, these balances have led to an important set of continuous reforms, restructuring and emphasis on energy savings.

The Soviet Union and Russia

The former Soviet Union was the largest energy producer in the world until the end of the 1980s-1990s. Today's Russia, the main member of the Soviet Union, is now one of the world's energy superpowers. It has large energy reserves, is the largest net energy exporter in the world, and an important supplier to the European Union. The main document defining Russia's energy policy is the Energy Strategy, which initially set out policies until 2020, and was subsequently reviewed, amended and extended until 2030. Russia has also signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Many experts warn that Russia uses its energy exports as an instrument of foreign policy.[24]​[25]​.

Thailand

Thailand's energy policy is characterized by 1) increasing energy efficiency, 2) increasing domestic energy production, 3) increasing the role of the private sector, 4) increasing the role of market mechanisms in setting energy prices. These policies have been consistent since the 1990-2000 decade, despite several changes in governments. The pace and manner of liberalization and privatization of the energy sector has been highly controversial.

Bangladesh

The first National Energy Policy (NEP) of Bangladesh was formulated in 1996 by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to ensure proper exploration, production, distribution and consumption of energy resources to sustainably meet the growing energy demands of different areas, sectors and consumers.[1] With the rapid changes in global and national situations, this policy was updated in 2004. The updated policy included additional objectives to ensure environmentally sustainable energy development programs that caused minimal damage to the environment, to encourage citizens and the private sector in the development and management of the energy sector, and to complete electrifying the country by 2020.[2].

Australia

Australia's energy policy features a mix of coal-fired power plants and hydroelectric power plants. The Australian Government has decided not to build nuclear power plants, despite the fact that the country is one of the world's largest producers of uranium, the fuel for these facilities.