navOS
navOS
Skip to content
Caravel Press
Account
Energy Catalyst
Submit your article
  • Current issue
  • All issues
  • All articles
  • Subscribe to alerts
  • Aims and scope
  • Editorial board
  • Announcements
  • How this journal works
  • Guide for authors
  • Manuscript template
  • Charges and waivers
  • Open access and licence
  • How peer review works

Our journals

  • Energy Catalyst
  • Green Technology & Innovation
  • Global Decarbonisation
  • Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Cities
  • Research and Reviews in Sustainability

Across the press

  • All journals
  • All articles
  • New research feed
  • DOI and licence checker
  • The record, for machines

Publish with us

  • Submit a manuscript
  • Author guidelines
  • Open access

Before you submit

  • Editorial policies
  • Peer review
  • Publication ethics
  • Licensing
  • Copyright
  • Charges
  • Funder requirements

What we can publish for you

  • Journal hosting
  • Books
  • Conference proceedings

How it works

  • All services
  • Support for your editors
  • navOS, the platform
  • Contact us

The press

  • About us
  • Editorial policies
  • Community
  • navOS, the platform

For reviewers

  • For reviewers
  • Apply to review
  • Check a certificate

Help

  • Support
  • Contact us
Caravel Press
Energy Catalyst

Articles and issues

  • Current issue
  • All issues
  • All articles
  • Subscribe to alerts

About

  • Aims and scope
  • Editorial board
  • Announcements
  • How this journal works

For authors

  • Guide for authors
  • Manuscript template
  • Charges and waivers
  • Open access and licence
  • How peer review works
Submit your article
  • Browse
    • Our journals

      • Energy Catalyst
      • Green Technology & Innovation
      • Global Decarbonisation
      • Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Cities
      • Research and Reviews in Sustainability
    • Across the press

      • All journals
      • All articles
      • New research feed
      • DOI and licence checker
      • The record, for machines
  • For authors
    • Publish with us

      • Submit a manuscript
      • Author guidelines
      • Open access
    • Before you submit

      • Editorial policies
      • Peer review
      • Publication ethics
      • Licensing
      • Copyright
      • Charges
      • Funder requirements
  • Services
    • What we can publish for you

      • Journal hosting
      • Books
      • Conference proceedings
    • How it works

      • All services
      • Support for your editors
      • navOS, the platform
      • Contact us
  • About
    • The press

      • About us
      • Editorial policies
      • Community
      • navOS, the platform
    • For reviewers

      • For reviewers
      • Apply to review
      • Check a certificate
    • Help

      • Support
      • Contact us
  • Your account
Caravel Press
Energy Catalyst

Volume 1, 2025, Article 2025.006

Energy Catalyst cover

Technical Article

Geopolitical Conflicts: Blockchain Use in International Energy Trading

, ,

1Istanbul Atlas University, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Systems Application and Research Center, Istanbul, Turkey

2Istanbul Atlas University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey

* Correspondence: Sofya Morozova, [email protected]

Published
8 August 2025
Pages
79-88
Received
5 February 2025
Revised
10 June 2025
Accepted
8 August 2025
DOI
10.61552/EC.2025.006
Access
Open access, CC BY 4.0
Published 8 August 2025·Pages 79-88doi.org/10.61552/EC.2025.006
Received 5 Feb 2025·Revised 10 June 2025·Accepted 8 Aug 2025Open accessunder CC BY 4.0
Download PDF10 pages · 276 KBCheck for updates

Abstract

This research explores how blockchain technology impacts energy markets, particularly during times of conflict and regulatory change. Geopolitical tensions often disrupt energy markets by affecting supply chains, prices, and access to resources. Energy trading becomes a strategic tool for securing reliable energy sources and managing risks. Technological advancements, evolving policies, and sustainability goals are reshaping the global energy landscape. Blockchain's decentralized and tamper-proof infrastructure offers solutions by maintaining immutable records of transactions, reducing fraud, and enhancing accountability. Case studies highlight how blockchain applications, including smart contracts and tokenization, improve efficiency and transparency in energy trade. However, regulatory challenges persist, particularly with privacy laws like GDPR. Adapting international agreements, such as the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), to accommodate decentralized markets is crucial. Striking a balance between transparency, data protection, and regulatory compliance is necessary to enable blockchain’s full potential in global energy trading

Keywords. Energy market; Blockchain; Digitalization; Geopolitical conflicts; International energy trade; Smart contracts

References

  • World Bank, World Development Report: Trading for Development in the Age of Global Value Chains. Washington, DC, USA: World Bank, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2020
  • World Trade Organization (WTO), World Trade Report 2018: The Future of World Trade: How Digital Technologies Are Transforming Global Commerce. Geneva, Switzerland: WTO, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publicatio ns_e/world_trade_report18_e.pdf
  • R. Baldwin, The Great Convergence: Information Technology and the New Globalization. Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard Univ. Press, 2016.
  • T. Cottier, G. I. Malumfashi, S. Matteotti- Berkutova, O. Nartova, J. De Sépibus, and S. Z. Bigdeli, "Energy in WTO law and policy," in International Trade Regulation and the WTO. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2011, pp. 211–244. doi: 10.1017/cbo9780511792496.007
  • V. Pogoretskyy, "Energy in International Trade Law: Concepts, Regulation and Changing Markets," J. Int. Econ. Law, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 699– 702, 2022. doi: 10.1093/jiel/jgac037
  • European Commission, REPowerEU: Joint European Action for More Affordable, Secure and Sustainable Energy. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2022:108:FIN
  • C. Feng, Y. Liu, and J. Yang, "Do energy trade patterns affect renewable energy development? The threshold role of digital economy and economic freedom," Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change, vol. 203, p. 123371, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123371
  • W. Jiang, Y. Zhang, and K. Wang, "Analyzing the connectedness among geopolitical risk, traditional energy and carbon markets," Energy, p. 131411, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131411
  • UNDP, Arab Future Energy Index 2023. New York, NY, USA: UNDP, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.undp.org/arab-states/publications/arab-future-energy-index-2023
  • B. K. Sovacool, "How long will it take? Conceptualizing the temporal dynamics of energy transitions," Energy Res. Soc. Sci., vol. 13, pp. 202–215, 2016.
  • International Energy Agency (IEA), World Energy Outlook 2021. Paris, France: IEA, 2021.
  • M. Andoni, V. Robu, D. Flynn, S. Abram, D. Geach, D. Jenkins, and A. Peacock, "Blockchain technology in the energy sector: A systematic review of challenges and opportunities," Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 100, pp. 143–174, 2019.
  • Y. Liu, L. Yu, C. Yang, and Z. Li, "Heterogeneity of the impact of geopolitical events on energy trade: An empirical study based on regression discontinuity design," Front. Environ. Sci., vol. 9, 2021. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2021.722910
  • C. Alexakis, G. Anselmi, and G. Petrella, "Flight to cryptos: Evidence on the use of cryptocurrencies in times of geopolitical tensions," Int. Rev. Econ. Finance, vol. 89, pp. 498–523, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.iref.2023.07.054
  • Statista, "Worldwide spending on blockchain solutions from 2017 to 2020, with forecasts for 2021 and 2024," Apr. 19, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/800426/w orldwide-blockchain-solutions-spending/
  • Statista, "Size of the blockchain technology market worldwide in 2018 and 2019, with forecasts from 2020 to 2025," May 13, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/647231/w orldwide-blockchain-technology-market-size/
  • R. Lal, "Blockchain in energy: Latest tech trends in 2024," IdeaUsher, May 6, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://ideausher.com/blog/blockchain-energy/
  • Chainalysis, "The 2022 Global Crypto Adoption Index: Emerging markets lead in grassroots adoption, China remains active despite ban, and crypto fundamentals appear healthy," Sep. 12, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2022-global-crypto-adoption-index/
  • A. Jarboui, E. Mnif, N. Zghidi, and Z. Akrout, "Reconceptualizing the interplay between geopolitical index, green financial assets and renewable energy markets: Evidence from the machine learning approach," Arab Gulf J. Sci. Res., 2024. doi: 10.1108/agjsr-09-2023-0458
  • F. Li, C. Yang, Z. Li, and P. Failler, "Does geopolitics have an impact on energy trade? Empirical research on emerging countries," Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 9, p. 5199, 2021. doi: 10.3390/su13095199
  • IEA, "Geopolitical tensions are laying bare fragilities in the global energy system, reinforcing need for faster expansion of clean energy," Oct. 16, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.iea.org/news/geopolitical-tensions-are-laying-bare-fragilities-in-the-global-energy-system-reinforcing-need-for-faster-expansion-of-clean-energy
  • S. Haber and W. S. Stornetta, "How to time-stamp a digital document," J. Cryptology, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 99–111, 1991. doi: 10.1007/bf00196791
  • S. Nakamoto, "Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system," 2008. [Online]. Available: https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf
  • S. Morozova, A. Karabuğa, and Z. Utlu, "Optimization of carbon trading and renewable energy management by using blockchain technology and artificial intelligence," SSRN, 2023. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.4655092
  • OECD, The Policy Environment for Blockchain Innovation and Adoption: 2019 OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum Summary Report, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://web-archive.oecd.org/2020-01-15/541537-2019-OECD-Global-Blockchain-Policy-Forum-Summary-Report.pdf
  • O. Akanfe, D. Lawong, and H. R. Rao, "Blockchain technology and privacy regulation: Reviewing frictions and synthesizing opportunities," Int. J. Inf. Manage., vol. 76, p. 102753, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2024.102753
  • L. Zhou and Y. Zhou, "Blockchain technologies for automatic, secure, and tamper-proof energy trading," in Blockchain for Sustainable Energy, Elsevier, 2024, pp. 159–170. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-443-13177-6.00007-2
  • X. Wang, Y. Liu, R. Ma, Y. Su, and T. Ma, "Blockchain enabled smart community for bilateral energy transaction," Int. J. Electr. Power Energy Syst., vol. 148, p. 108997, 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.ijepes.2023.108997
  • F. Buccafurri, G. Lax, L. Musarella, and A. Russo, "An Ethereum-based solution for energy trading in smart grids," Digit. Commun. Netw., vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 194–202, 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.dcan.2021.12.004
  • D. Kirli et al., "Smart contracts in energy systems: A systematic review of fundamental approaches and implementations," Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 158, p. 112013, 2022. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.112013
  • U. Damisa, N. I. Nwulu, and P. Siano, "Towards blockchain-based energy trading: A smart contract implementation of energy double auction and spinning reserve trading," Energies, vol. 15, no. 11, p. 4084, 2022. doi: 10.3390/en15114084
  • Y. Zhang et al., "Blockchain-based carbon trading platforms: Architecture, implementation, and prospects," J. Clean. Prod., vol. 345, p. 131092, 2022. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131092
  • T. Marszal et al., "Blockchain-enabled smart grids in developing economies: Potential for expanding energy access," Energy Sustain. Dev., vol. 60, pp. 129–137, 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.esd.2021.03.008

How to cite this article

Morozova, S., Karabuga, A. and Utlu, Z. (2025). 'Geopolitical Conflicts: Blockchain Use in International Energy Trading'. Energy Catalyst, 1, pp. 79-88. https://doi.org/10.61552/EC.2025.006

PreviousExperimental Investigation of a Vertical Flow Moving Bed Thermochemical Heat StorageNextAssessment of Dynamic Behavior of Solid Cylinders in Different Configurations under Vortex-Induced Vibrations

© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Caravel Press.

Anyone may read, download, copy, distribute and build on this article, in any medium or format, provided the authors and the original article are credited. Read the CC BY 4.0 licence

← Energy Catalyst

Also in volume 1

  • Technical ArticleExperimental Investigation of a Vertical Flow Moving Bed Thermochemical Heat StorageAydin, D., Jarimi, H., Yuksel, B., Utlu, Z. and Riffat, S. · pp. 68-78
  • Technical ArticleAssessment of Dynamic Behavior of Solid Cylinders in Different Configurations under Vortex-Induced VibrationsSamaei, S.R. and Ghahfarokhi, M.A. · pp. 89-103
  • Technical ArticleAccelerating Whole Life Carbon Assessment in Construction with Artificial IntelligenceAl-Habaibeh, A., Manu, E., Clement, T., Shakmak, B., Selvam, J. and Lin, T. · pp. 54-67
  • Technical ArticleHydrodynamic Assessment of Floating Dock Behavior: A Case Study in Bahonar Port, Bandar AbbasSamaei, S.R. and Ghahfarokhi, M.A. · pp. 104-112
  • Technical ArticleMachine Learning-Based Predictive Models for Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort: Bridging Sensor Data and Human Perception in Healthcare FacilitiesRazak, T.R., Ismail, M.H., Jarimi, H., Nadzir, M.S.M., Zheng, T., Yanan, Z., Ahmad, E.Z., Syafiq, U., Ludin, N.A., Rahman, N.M.A., Jamaludin, M.H. and Riffat, S. · pp. 35-53
  • ReviewRecent Advances in Perovskite–Silicon Tandem Solar Cells: Progress, Challenges, and Pathways to CommercialisationRiffat, J. and Samaei, S.R. · pp. 113-126
All 11 articles

Energy Catalyst

ISSN 3103-9952
Edited by Saffa Riffat

Journal homeAll articlesAll issuesSubmit a paper

Journals

  • All journals
  • Energy Catalyst
  • Green Technology & Innovation
  • Global Decarbonisation
  • Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Cities
  • Research and Reviews in Sustainability

Browse

  • All articles
  • New research feed
  • DOI and licence checker
  • The record, for machines

For authors

  • Submit a manuscript
  • Author guidelines
  • Funder requirements
  • Open access

Policies

  • Editorial policies
  • Peer review
  • Publication ethics
  • Licensing
  • Research integrity
  • Corrections and retractions

Services

  • All services
  • Journal hosting
  • Books
  • Conference proceedings
  • navOS, the platform

Help

  • Support
  • Contact us

About

  • About Caravel Press
  • Community
  • Societies
  • SDG Publishers Compact

For reviewers

  • For reviewers
  • Apply to review
  • Check a certificate

© 2026 Caravel Press. Articles are published open access under CC BY 4.0 and remain the copyright of their authors.

Privacy|Terms|Accessibility|Site map

United Kingdom