Abstract (EN)

Israel’s successful economy was shaped despite the lack of natural resources. The current dependence on imported energy resources is increasing further and the energy sector has entered into a turbulent period in terms of prices and security of supply. Recent discoveries of large sources of natural gas off the coast are expected to make Israel an energy-independent country and even a possible gas exporter. Even if the new resources estimates are correct, a number of factors still raise doubts about the viability of exports. This paper focuses on the possible evolution of Israeli energy policy with the natural gas discoveries. After the presentation of the current Israeli energy situation, the new resources will be discussed with the uncertainties around them and the regulatory framework. The economic consequences of these new reserves will be analyzed in terms of exporting strategies and electricity generation evolution. Even more than other countries, the Israeli energy policy is centered on security of supply through sources and suppliers diversification. The first discussions have just begun on the different options more or less realistic. The aim of this paper is to analyze today’s challenges for Israel in terms of energy from an economic perspective.