A strategic reserve is the reserve of a commodity or items that is held back from normal use by governments, organisations, or businesses in pursuance of a particular strategy or to cope with unexpected events.[1]
There are several national and international projects aiming to preserve the existing natural wealth and diversity in case of mass extinction or a global catastrophe. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault facility, opened in 2008, focuses on collecting duplicate samples of plant seeds from all around the world and currently contains close to 1 million different agricultural seed samples. The final storage capacity is said to be 4.5 million seed samples.[2][3] Another such institution, Frozen Ark, concentrates on DNA preservation of endangered animal species for generations.[2][4]
Types of strategic reserve
A strategic reserve can be:
- Financial in nature such as ring-fenced funding or capital reserves of a large corporation.
- A commodity, such as intervention stocks of food or petrol (see security of supply and strategic petroleum reserves)
- Specific machinery, such as railroad cars or steam locomotives, to be used in an emergency situation.
Examples of commodity reserves:
- Global strategic petroleum reserves
- Strategic uranium reserves
- National Helium Reserve
- Strategic grain reserve
- Gold reserve
- International Strategic Reserve of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers
- Strategic National Stockpile – medical supplies in the U.S.
- Strategic Technology Reserve – held by the states of Alabama,[5] Illinois,[6] New Jersey[7] and North Carolina[8]
Certain countries create their own unusual strategic reserves of food or commodities they value the most, such as cotton, butter, pork, raisins or even maple syrup.[2]
Energy strategic reserves
See also
References
- ↑ "What does strategic reserve mean?". www.definitions.net. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- 1 2 3 "15 Strategic Reserves of Unusual Products". www.mentalfloss.com. 2016-10-15. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ↑ "Svalbard Global Seed Vault", Wikipedia, 2020-04-17, retrieved 2020-04-24
- ↑ "Frozen Ark", Wikipedia, 2020-02-09, retrieved 2020-04-24
- ↑ webeocalabama (2017-10-25). "Alabama Strategic Technology Reserve". Alabama Emergency Management Agency Public Portal. Archived from the original on 2025-11-08. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
- ↑ "Strategic Technology Reserve (STR)". iemaohs.illinois.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-11-08. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
- ↑ "$3.1 Million U.S. Department of Commerce Grant Ensures Strategic Technology Reserve (STR) For Hard-Hit Disaster Areas". 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Tactical Communications | NC DPS". www.ncdps.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-11-08. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
- ↑ "Capacity mechanisms for electricity" (PDF). www.europarl.europa.eu.
- 1 2 Bhagwat, Pradyumna C.; Richstein, Jörn C.; Chappin, Emile J. L.; de Vries, Laurens J. (2016-04-01). "The effectiveness of a strategic reserve in the presence of a high portfolio share of renewable energy sources". Utilities Policy. 39: 13–28. Bibcode:2016UtPol..39...13B. doi:10.1016/j.jup.2016.01.006. ISSN 0957-1787.
- ↑ "About Elia". www.elia.be. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ↑ "Elia System Operator", Wikipedia, 2020-01-01, retrieved 2020-04-24