An energy superpower is a country that supplies large amounts of energy resources (crude oil, natural gas, coal, etc.) to a significant number of other countries, and therefore has the potential to influence world markets for political or economic gains. Energy superpower status might be exercised, for example, by significantly influencing the price on global markets, or by withholding supplies. Most recently, the term "energy superpower" is increasingly used to characterize nations at the forefront of energy transition and the development of renewable energy resources.
The term "energy superpower" lacks a precise scholarly definition and is primarily a political term. It is not a concept rooted in rigorous academic or scientific categorization but rather a label used in political discourse to describe countries that wield significant influence in the global energy landscape. This term is subject to interpretation and can be applied differently by various individuals or organizations, depending on their specific agendas or perspectives. As a result, the meaning and applicability of the term "energy superpower" may vary.
Russia is widely recognized as an energy superpower. Other nations that have, at different points in time, earned this designation include Saudi Arabia, Canada, Venezuela, and Iran. The United States is said to be a potential energy superpower because of its large shale gas reserves.
Countries referred to as energy superpowers
Russia
The discourses surrounding Russia's energy wealth play a crucial role in Vladimir Putin's attempts to restore Russia's great power status. Some scholars have noted that, although Putin may avoid explicitly using the term "superpower," the idea of Russia as an energy superpower is an integral part of the ideology developed by his regime. This idea emphasizes Russia's significant role in the global energy landscape and frames it as a key player in international politics. However, Russia's status of energy superpower and the strategic implications it carries have been called into question by many experts. As Vladimir Milov, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says:
The "energy superpower" concept is an illusion with no basis in reality. Perhaps most dangerously, it doesn’t recognize the mutual dependence between Russia and energy consumers. Because of political conflicts and declining production, future supply disruptions to Europe are likely. As a result, European gas companies may likely someday demand elimination of the take-or-pay conditions in their Russian contracts. This would threaten Gazprom’s ability to borrow. Putin’s attempt to use energy to increase Russian influence could backfire in the long run.Vladimir Mau, Aleksei Kudrin, German Gref, and many other Russian economists compare Russia’s dependence on energy exports with a severe drug addiction and even use the “sitting on the oil needle” metaphor to describe Russia’s economic development in the 2000s and the 2010s.
Canada
In the mid-2010s, former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, asserted that Canada should be considered an energy superpower. By advertising Canada as an oil supplier on the international level, Harper defined it as a “reliable producer in a volatile unpredictable world” who can offer its oil-thirsty partners “a transparent regulatory system and a commitment to open markets”. This viewpoint found support among conservative political activists and public intellectualse Ezra Levant, the author of Ethical However, representations of Canada as an energy superpower were widely contested by various groups, including scholars, Indigenous peoples' organizations and activists, and environmental activists. These critics raised concerns about the environmental impact of Canada's oil sands (e.g., tailing ponds, air pollution and deforestation), particularly in the context of issues such as climate change and resource extraction.