Securing the Future of Operational Energy
The NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, based in Vilnius, Lithuania, serves as a key contributor to the Alliance’s understanding of the evolving energy security landscape and its operational implications. Through sustained cooperation with Allied and Partner nations, the Centre supports the development of a secure, stable, and resilient energy future for NATO operations.
The Centre provides expertise across the full spectrum of energy security, with a mandate that includes raising awareness of energy-related security risks, promoting energy efficiency within NATO forces, and supporting the integration of modern energy technologies. These efforts reinforce the Alliance’s broader goals of operational interoperability, force readiness, and strategic resilience.
Advancing Education and Strategic Dialogue
Looking ahead, the Centre has set an ambitious agenda for 2025. In May, it hosted the annual Energy Efficiency in Military Operations Course in Vilnius. Co-organized with the United States Naval Postgraduate School, the course brought together 40 military and civilian specialists from across NATO to examine energy management strategies, emerging technologies, and practical methods to improve energy efficiency in operational environments.
Further expanding its strategic reach, the Centre will convene the International Conference FORTE 2025 (“Future Operations – Resilience in Transitioning Energy”) in September. The conference, held under the theme “Power in Partnership: Civil-Military Synergy for Energy Security,” will explore cooperation between civilian and military sectors. Topics include military infrastructure resilience, energy-related operational lessons from Ukraine, hybrid threats, and the role of whole-of-society defence strategies in enhancing energy resilience.
Testing Resilience in the Arctic Environment
In November, the Centre will lead the Arctic-focused Tabletop Exercise Coherent Resilience 2025, hosted in Sweden. This event, co-organized with the European Commission Joint Research Centre, the United States Naval Postgraduate School, and the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Studies, will address the protection of energy operations, supply chains, and infrastructure in the Arctic’s uniquely complex environment. Participants will explore challenges posed by hybrid threats, extreme weather, and technological constraints in securing critical energy systems.
Shaping NATO’s Energy Transition
The Centre’s research continues to shape NATO’s long-term planning through contributions to the development of the Operational Energy Concept. Areas of study include offshore wind integration, future military mobility using carbon-free fuels, and the operational consequences of climate change. These efforts support decision-makers in advancing clean, reliable, and militarily effective energy solutions.
Through its strategic foresight, multinational engagement, and commitment to innovation, the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence remains at the forefront of preparing the Alliance for the energy challenges of today and tomorrow.
More information can be found on their website.