Methodology for Assessing of the Energy Potential of a Region

Existing methodological approaches to assessing the efficiency of using the potential of the region's energy sector have been studied and a methodology based on five stages of analysis has been proposed. This methodology allows for a thorough evaluation of the potential of the energy sector in a given region, accounting for the impact of both internal and external factors related to “hard” and “soft” infrastructure. The methodology is based on processing statistical data of the analyzed region; its results depend on the completeness, reliability and relevance of the information received. The technique is invariant with respect to the characteristics of the analyzed region, country and even the sector of the economy to which it is applied. The authors admit that in this way it is possible to assess the effectiveness of using the potential of the transport or agricultural sector of the region, where it is only necessary to create a set of assessment indicators. The authors work in the energy sector. Using the proposed methodology, the potential of the energy sector of one of the regions of the Republic of Belarus and the efficiency of its functioning over the past 5 years were modeled. For obvious reasons, the region is not named, but is called region X.