Europeans need secure, sustainable and affordable energy. Our way of life is such that energy is vital for essential day-to-day services, without which we and our businesses cannot function. We need it for our lighting, heating, transport and industrial output. In addition to our basic needs we also need it for our washing machines, computers, televisions and all the other goods that we now use almost without thinking. However, making sure we have all the energy we need, at a price we can afford, both now and in the future, is not so easy.