IEA: Europe could be forced to start rationing energy this winter. Birol: The world faces a “much bigger” energy crisis than the one of the 1970s. On Wednesday, Birol called for conserving energy and boosting energy efficiency. Europe could be forced to start rationing energy this winter, starting with industrial uses of natural gas, especially if the winter is cold and China’s economy rebounds, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, told the Financial Times in an interview. “If we have a harsh winter and a long winter and if we do not take [demand side measures] . . . I wouldn’t exclude the rationing of natural gas in Europe, starting from the large industry facilities,” Birol told FT. The world faces a “much bigger” energy crisis than the one of the 1970s, Birol told German daily Der Spiegel last month. “Back then it was […]