Beyond the Weaponization of Energy: Decentralization and Redistribution as a Way to Achieve Safety and Demilitarization of Energy

The article examines the relationship between the energy sector, safety, and the militarization of social and environmental space. It advances the thesis that centralized energy systems can constitute part of, and provide critical infrastructure for, the modern military apparatus; they are both potential targets of attack and integral components of state and military security. The scale and location of energy sources, as well as their forms of management and ownership, influence the weaponization of energy systems. In this context, decentralized energy production, distribution, and governance, alongside a shift to local energy sources as part of the energy transition, represent the most effective guarantees for the peaceful use of energy. Decentralization of the energy system based on renewable sources not only facilitates the implementation of climate policy but also strengthens energy security and contributes to the demilitarization of energy. The experience of the April 2025 lockdown in Spain, combined with the war in Ukraine, illustrates that large, centralized energy infrastructures are less resilient and less secure in times of disruption or crisis than decentralized systems. From this perspective, large coal-fired and nuclear power plants, as well as centralized forms of energy distribution, pose risks to both energy and military security. Consequently, the choice of technologies underpinning the energy system is of fundamental importance for environmental security, societal safety, and military security.