Energy Voice – Out Loud

EVOL: Windfall woes, a budget boost and a wind farm of epic proportions

This week on EVOL, the Energy Voice team discuss the reaction to upcoming changes to the windfall tax, and whether it’s behind Shell and Exxon offloading their Southern North Sea assets.  
There was more positive news for offshore renewables, with a big budget boost for the sixth allocation round. Will it be enough to get the UK back on track for its 2030 wind targets?  
Plus, Ossian wind farm developers SSE Renewables, Marubeni Corporation and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners have submitted plans to the Scottish government. But numerous challenges lie ahead to get the turbines spinning on the epic ScotWind project.  
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.
 

OPITO on global expansion and energy transition

As the energy sector continues to expand and roll out new technologies, training standards must keep pace to ensure that workers are adequately equipped to handle the environments they find themselves in.Energy Voice's Ryan Duff sits with OPITO's Faye Sherriffs, senior vice president of strategic partnerships, and Ewen Hay, director of products and services to understand how training is evolving within the sector.OPITO is expanding into new territories to ensure that gold standard practices are commonplace no matter where the workforce travels. The HUET and BOSIET programmes are furthering their reach as  OPITO also looks to ensure cross-sector recognition of skills as workers move from oil and gas into areas such as wind.

EVOL: Money Money Money, Shell sells, CCS support and Labour funding

This week Ryan, Erikka and Mat discuss everything from SctoWind troubles to the investment needed in the UK's energy transition, can you spot the common theme? Money!
Ryan has been looking into the market speculation that Shell is looking to sell up its stake in the two ScotWind leases it secured in 2022. The firm and its partner Scottish Power forked out £154,400,000 for the two floating wind sites that are set to produce a combined 5GW of power during Crown Estate Scotland's leasing round. 
CCS investment is a "risk worth taking", said the National Audit Office. Mat has been diving through some of the reports that got held up with this summer's general election. The NAO explained that warned slow progress on the first phase of ‘Track-1’ projects means the government will struggle to achieve its 2030 CCUS ambitions.
Finally, Erikka looks at the UK's Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme and how it might change under the Labour Government. She is also speculating on what assets GB Energy may be looking to take over, but for that to happen Labour has to "get their finger out" as she said.
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.
 

EVOL: We're better connected, Aberdeen hydrogen hub help and "flying by the seat of our pants"

This week, Ryan and Ed are joined by new Energy Voice editor Mark Selby as he makes his podcast debut. Mark kicks off by discussing the role of Energy Voice as a platform for the UK energy sector, before diving into our recent interview with National Grid. We touch on grid connection waiting times and discuss the practical challenges of bringing on more generation capacity.
Next up, Ed is flying by the seat of his pants as he discusses Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and, more specifically, how poo could fuel our flights. The government has set a 2030 target for SAF, and Ed discusses a couple of technologies that might help us get there. Old tyres are one feedstock and - to the delight of Ed's son - sewage is another. 
Finally, Ryan has turned his attention to Aberdeen's hydrogen hub as it takes final investment decision. The BP and Aberdeen City Council joint venture is now looking to pull together a report to explore how the city's existing supply chain can contribute to making this project a success. 
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.
 

EVOL: Labour's frontbench, Mission Control to Major Stark and an energy minister dinner party

Now that Labour has formed the UK government, there are a lot of questions over who will be taking on the energy brief, what it will do and how quickly it will do it. This week Erikka, Mat and Ryan discuss all of the above.  
Mat has been keeping an eye on who will be the new government's frontbench energy team and he runs through all of the announced MPs that are set to take up the challenge. A Scottish educator and a Labour Party rising star are two particular highlights.
Next up, Ryan discusses grid constraints and what the new government is doing to tackle the issue. The former chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, Chris Stark, will take charge of the UK government’s newly announced Mission Control. He will be working alongside National Grid and other industry partners to speed up the UK's energy transition. However, is this just a flash in the pan?  
Finally, the trio answered a view-submitted question: What former energy secretary, past or present, would you invite to a dinner part and what question would you ask them?

Bridges and Bottlenecks: 05 Energy Systems Thinking

In the penultimate episode of Bridges and Bottlenecks, Ryan discusses global energy systems with DNV’s head of department for risk advisory, Bwalya Kafwembe, and professor of energy systems engineering at the Imperial College of London, Niall Mac Dowell. 
The trio discuss what net zero means to different regions and the restrictions some areas face when it comes to power distribution. 
There is not one easy solution, as Niall said “There will be no one tool, we’ll need every tool in the shed” to cut emissions and deliver on global emissions reduction targets.
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

EVOL: Labour wins, now what is GB Energy?

The Labour Party has achieved a landslide victory in the UK general election, however, as it forms the next government clarity is needed on GB Energy.
Labour has proposed a number of policies relating to the UK’s energy market in the build-up to polling day with a publicly owned energy firm being high up the list of priorities.
GB Energy could be a great idea, if people know what it is actually setting out to do.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar described it as a “publicly owned energy generation company” while the incoming prime minister Kier Starmer said it would be an “investment vehicle, not an energy company“.
The Labour Party also suggested it would not be an energy retail company and that it would “generate power in its own right, as well as owning, managing and operating clean power projects alongside private firms”.
https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables-energy-transition/556276/watch-labour-wins-now-what-is-gb-energy/
WATCH: Labour wins, now what is GB Energy?
The Labour Party has achieved a landslide victory in the UK general election, however, as it forms the next government clarity is needed on GB Energy.
 

EVOL: Repsol, Prax and a biofuel pause

The rumour mill has kicked into overdrive amid discussion that Repsol is considering the acquisition of NEO Energy, even while politics has overshadowed the energy sector. While some companies are moving away from the North Sea, others are choosing to stick it out, Ryan explains, on the basis that it can’t get any worse.
Prax has taken a similar line, signing a deal to buy assets from TotalEnergies in the Shetlands. The buyer has taken an innovative stance and now offers a smaller-scale integrated oil company, hoping that this will allow it to stay ahead of tough times.
Shell has pressed pause on its ambitious SAF plans in Rotterdam this week, as the company’s broader outlook for energy transition opportunities dims. The supermajor does still have enthusiasm for some transition opportunities, such as CCS, but with costs rising and the future uncertain, biofuel dreams are suffering. 
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.
 
 
 

EVOL: Oil and gas is paradoxical, offshore workers’ blues and AI comes to the rescue

Our latest edition of Energy Voice Out Loud looks at a new report from Norwegian firm DNV that finds oil and gas companies are actually feeling optimistic – despite the fact they are still not sure how they will be able to afford transitioning to cleaner sources of energy production.
However offshore the picture is a little more worrisome. Ryan Duff reports on the state of workers’ mental health and how drilling a well can offer some insight into helping them feel better.
Lastly, Mat Perry reports on Scottish technology firm Zelim which has developed unmanned search and rescue technology that is improving outcomes for seafarers. Testing with the US coast guard has found its AI powered detection system is an invaluable took for man overboard incidents, day or night and in all weather.

Big engineering: BP VPs on Women in Engineering Day

Energy Voice Out Loud has put together a special episode in honour of International Women in Engineering Day. Listen as two of BP’s high-flying VPs – Anch Klien and Ila Glennie – talk about big engineering, the transformational shift advances brought by new technology, as well as what it was like to step onto a rig for the first time and realise you’re the only woman for miles.
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.