Building an additional 10GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 is an important piece of the jigsaw puzzle that makes up Scotland’s plans to try to reach Net Zero. ScotWind will be ground-breaking both in terms of size and opportunity.
It’s been 20 years since Ørsted (at that time called Dong Energy, and very much a major oil & gas company) commissioned Vindeby in Denmark, which was the world’s first offshore wind farm. It took another 10 years from this modest start (5MW, powering just 2,200 homes) for the offshore wind industry to really start to take off.
As we close out a year of climate crisis summits, talks and debates, two words stick in my mind: innovation and collaboration.
The Omicron virus variant has plunged the world into yet more uncertainty in recent months – but even so, 2021 will be remembered as the year when the pandemic loosened its grip on global energy markets and the supply chain could start to recover from last year’s 14% drop in global energy spending. Investments grew 7% this year, putting economies, energy demand and the supply sector on the road to recovery.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has stated that the UK is "nowhere near" meeting emissions targets enshrined in the Glasgow Climate Pact.
As the curtain falls on 2021, a year largely dominated by the three Cs – Covid, COP26 and Cambo – we’re seeing strong energy market fundamentals underpinned by high commodity prices which would usually signal greater optimism for the year ahead.
We frequently read and hear that we live in the age of disruption.
As we head into 2022, Scotland is set to play a leading role in a new global offshore energy industry that will transform the role offshore wind plays in the UK’s energy mix.
In a year that continued to be dominated by the pandemic and the rapid acceleration of the energy transition, both the underwater industry and its representative body have been evolving.
The COP26 climate conference is now behind us and we are left with mixed feelings about the future health of our planet. While some summarised the conference as “blah blah blah”, others talked about constructive discussions and breakthroughs.
In the latter stages of 2021, the lightning rod debate over the Cambo development has brought the role of oil and gas in our energy system into sharp focus.
Developing and deploying technology at scale will help us achieve climate goals whilst fulfilling energy demand and, if done right, create jobs and export opportunities for Scotland.
The offshore supply chain is crucial for the energy sector’s goal of achieving net zero, with commitment to a smooth energy transition and relevant opportunities from industry leaders vital to reach carbon neutrality, writes David Hutchinson, director with engineering and manufacturing specialist Pryme Group.
2021 was a big year for climate change.
The UKCS oil and gas industry has weathered some tough times in its past, but the last two years have been perhaps the most challenging, and the most critical in terms of shaping its future.
It’s clear that diversity and inclusion (D&I) is more than just a trending target for industry and society to aspire to, but, in simple terms, what do these words actually mean?
The recent spectacular increase in the UK wholesale natural gas price from less than 50 pence per therm in April 2021 to a peak of nearly 300 pence in October came as a complete surprise to everyone, including market traders engaged daily in buying and selling the commodity.
For Big Oil executives, it is difficult to imagine new business models beyond oil and gas. They climbed to the top of the pyramid by being the smartest guys in the room, turning hydrocarbons into petrodollars. Success is a lousy teacher: therefore, they are still determined to increase their total emissions this decade.
As 2021 draws to a close and the energy world starts to look ahead to 2022, there seems little doubt that the role of hydrogen will loom ever larger over government energy policy, both here in the UK and globally. So what specifically should we expect?
The UK has the potential to be a global leader in carbon capture and direct air capture technologies – but large-scale projects must be developed rapidly if our net zero goal is to be achieved.
Ollie Folayan, chair of AFBE-UK Scotland, looks at the key talking points for the year ahead from his hopes for diversity and inclusion to transition and the future for energy workers.
At this time of year you reflect on the past 12 months, and look to what the future holds. We started 2021 on a peak in Covid cases, and it looks like we will end the year in the same way. But even in another year dominated by the pandemic, there have been positive points to remember.
In a year where energy prices have been volatile, the market for technology and services across both oil and gas and renewables sectors has remained strong.
Lots has been accomplished on the D&I front this year – and 2022 provides more opportunity to build positive momentum in the industry’s journey.
At the opening of COP26 last month, Prince Charles told an audience of global leaders that a vast, military style campaign by the private sector would be the only real prospect we have of beating the clock on climate change.