Cost of living and climate change crisis calls for more action
It will come as no surprise to readers when I say we are in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.
Opinion
Chapter 2: What is systems thinking and why is it important?
Rather than seeking to simplify complex issues and problems by breaking them down into their component parts, systems thinking focuses more on the development of a holistic understanding as well as the relationships and interactions between elements within a system.
Efficient? The majority of our homes are energy hopeless
Last month the UK Government published its British Energy Security Strategy.
Strengthening resilience as we seek a balanced transition for our energy industry
The global response to the tragic invasion of Ukraine has underlined the importance of energy security and the need for responsible, clean and reliable sources of energy for our country: a balanced transition is key as we look to secure a bright future for our industry and its workforce.
Legal implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine for the oil and gas sector
Before any discussion of how the invasion of Ukraine by Russia is impacting our sector, we must first acknowledge the devastating effects on the people of Ukraine of the indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets, the war crimes being perpetrated by Russian troops and the massive displacement of the population both within and beyond Ukraine, which is something most of us have never seen in Europe in our lifetimes, as well as the enormous courage and resilience of the Ukrainian nation.
North America: enterprising, dynamic and opportunistic
My eldest son is an aerospace engineer and lives and works in Seattle on the US West coast. He’s built a career in an industry which nowadays offers few opportunities in Scotland nor many in other parts of the UK.
An obscure (and underestimated) oil city at the heart of the old Soviet industry…
A ministerial visit that’s long stuck in my mind was to a city called Khanty-Mansiysk far to the north in Siberia. You haven’t heard of it? Well, join a very large club to which I belonged before going there.
ScotWind: From mega bucks to mega watts
Only six months ago, the spotlight of the world was firmly on COP26 in Glasgow as the defining moment for the world to keep ‘1.5 alive’. For a brief period, the world was united around a common goal to protect the planet from the worst impact of climate change.
Unknown unknowns are halting the energy transition
The current energy sector is certainly a hazardous one, contributing to much of the CO2 emissions that are affecting the planet. That is why the global energy sector – including industry and mobility using energy – must transition to clean energy in order to keep the planet a liveable place.
Chapter 1: The role of engineering
Engineering as we know it had its origins in the Age of Enlightenment that dominated the world of ideas in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries when science played an important role as pragmatism, logic and rational thinking replaced the authority of tradition and religion.
Challenging policy on climate change grounds
In a recent judicial review decision, two judges in an English court considered an application by Friends of the Earth (FoE) to quash UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) decision to provide export finance to the Mozambique LNG Project.
Charging up – evolution of EV battery sector
Lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous, whether it be in consumer products, electric vehicles (EVs) or commercial and industrial energy storage. Nowhere is this more evident than in EVs, which are making meaningful inroads into the transportation market, with market data company Canalys estimating 6.5 million EVs were sold worldwide in 2021, more than double the prior year.
New Norwegian tax proposals will help spur offshore investment
In February, the Norwegian Ministry of Finance announced a consultation on the proposal that Norway extend its taxing rights. This would include non-resident companies undertaking certain offshore activities in renewable energy.
Repsol Sinopec: Decommissioning talent essential for UK’s energy transition
Globally the energy landscape is changing. It is undergoing significant transition to meet energy demands whilst reducing carbon emissions – a difficult balancing act.
Energy Security Strategy provides much-needed confidence for North Sea investment
The UK government has shared its long-delayed Energy Security Strategy, and it provides the signal North Sea investors needed. The UK Continental Shelf can once again be an attractive investment destination.
Pave your own path to a healthier life and planet
April 7th marks the World Health Organisation’s World Health Day, where this year’s focus is “Our planet, Our health”. It states that “global attention on urgent actions (are) needed to keep humans and the planet health and foster a movement to create societies focused on wellbeing”.
ESG factors must lead to energy transformation
The war in Ukraine has jolted European politicians into finally understanding that overdependence on imported energy can carry extreme risks. What they haven’t understand yet though is that you can’t just turn off one set of taps and turn on another.
Scottish energy opportunity blowing away into the desert wind
“Put simply, a just transition is about moving to an environmentally sustainable economy (that’s the ‘transition’ part) without leaving workers in polluting industries behind,” says NGO Greenpeace
Renewables investment contracts must be reviewed in the Government’s Energy Security Strategy
The upcoming Energy Security Strategy provides an opportunity for the Government to break the link between renewable tariffs and fossil fuels, boosting consumer confidence in renewable energy.
Energy hierarchy? Security of supply is coming out on top
I recently heard a BBC Scotland reporter state, almost as a throw-away “fact” about energy problems arising from the Ukraine war, that Scotland is, of course, unaffected because we produce more power than we consume.
Flipping the switch on English wind farm policy
Daniel Marston, a Managing Associate in law firm Addleshaw Goddard's Planning and Infrastructure Consenting Team, looks at whether, and more importantly how, the direction could change in relation to the policy on developing new onshore wind farms in England.
De-politicising energy: The key to a sustainable transition
Recent commodity volatility has made front-page news. As economies around the world emerge from two years of restrictions, demand is rebounding quickly, with consensus suggesting that consumption will outpace pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year.
North Sea recruitment market ‘heating up dramatically’
As we emerge from the pandemic, with a rapidly rising oil price and a recognition that oil and gas are vital to security of domestic supply, delayed projects are coming back on stream and new ones are being sanctioned.
Fuel duty cut highlights uncomfortable truths of the energy trilemma
The reduction in fuel duty announced in the Chancellor’s spring statement highlights that in the short to medium term he will have to wrestle with the re-emergence of the energy trilemma: simply put, how does the government address the competing demands of energy affordability, energy security and sustainability?
Local content on the rise in Cote d’Ivoire
Cote d’Ivoire’s oil and gas has a history dating back to 1977 but it is Eni’s recent Baleine discovery that has rejuvenated interest in the country.