BP has hailed 60 years since it began operating in the North Sea as the region looks to transition to renewables.
Speaking during the event’s plenary session, BP senior vice-president Louise Kingham recognised the challenge – but noted that it is one Scotland and the UK have risen to before.
© Supplied by Energy Institute“We knew that the transition was going to be difficult, but haven’t we done hard stuff in the past?” she said.
“This year, that North Sea oil and gas business is 60 years old. Way back then, there was very little infrastructure, very limited technology, skills were immature, we certainly didn’t understand safety and operations or have the technology to operate them in the way that we do today.
“Now you look at an industry that isn’t just relevant to Aberdeenshire, but which is the lifeblood of the Scottish economy and reaches across the UK. It’s a significant contribution.
“We do not wish for citizens and workforces to just turn that off overnight, we have to have a plan and a manged plan over time. That’s what’s sent Scottish accents all around the world the first time and we can do it again this time.”
‘Mission critical’
However, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Mairi McAllan noted that more needs to be done to ensure the future of the North Sea energy industry.
Also speaking at the event, she called for authorities to accelerate the move to net zero.
“I want to make a call specifically to colleagues in the UK Government who hold key levers for the realisation of net zero across the UK,” she said.
“My call is simple, that these powers must be utilised they must be acted upon and at pace for the realisation of Scotland’s goal as well as the UK’s, which are intrinsically linked and I am always very happy and will pursue joint working with the UK Government in all these areas.”
In particular, she warned there “can be no further delay in acting on Scotland’s carbon capture utilisation and storage potential. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is clear, I am clear, this is mission critical to net zero, it’s not simply a nice to have.”
Community growth fund
In addition, Ms McAllan announced the launch of the Community Energy Generation Growth Fund, a £1.5mn pilot fund to help push community-owned energy projects,
“Our community and renewable energy scheme has been a vital part of grounding this work in Scotland’s communities,” she said.
“Since its inception the scheme has provided over £65m in funding to communities throughout Scotland supporting around 900 projects and I’m very pleased that we are already over halfway to achieving our ambition of 2GW of community and locally owned energy by 2030.
“But I do want to go further, particularly as the deployment of renewables becomes ever more present in Scotland’s communities.”
Delivered through the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme, the fund aims “to help communities create their own renewable generation projects and support them in doing that”.
Recommended for you
