Oil and gas workers will be the foundation for a gradual “all energy” approach to the transition, according to the head of the government’s green investment vehicle.
Juergen Maier, chief executive of GB Energy, said the tone of debate during the four-day SPE Offshore Europe conference in Aberdeen was one of all parts of the energy industry wanting to work together.
“I must admit to feeling nervous going to the conference because I know we are at a crossroads and understand the mood and anxiousness of the oil and gas community in Aberdeen”, he said.
“It’s not easy when, over time, your life’s work is being transitioned to the next technology. We know how previous such transitions have been brutal on communities.
“We can’t repeat that here. And there is some good news, which is that this transition is lasting much longer, and unlike the transition from coal, this time there is an alternative; renewable energy.”
Mr Maier’s comments have been welcomed by the fossil fuel sector fearful that under Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s command he would drive renewables at the expense of oil and gas.
Mr Maier is expected to ramp up GB Energy’s investment programme from the autumn and said “the opportunities are exciting. The green economy already employs more people than there are in the UK’s O&G industry.”
However, he warned that there is still a net loss of jobs in the northeast of Scotland which is “haemorrhaging workers too fast” and risks losing supply chains.
“Despite the angst, I observed the conversation change as we progressed through the conference.
“The language moved from being ‘at crossroads’, ‘in conflict’ and ‘division’, to a coming together. I declared myself as an ‘all energy advocate’ and we spoke about collaboration, and working together.
“I felt we left the picture of the crossroads behind us, and [we are] now on a highway to the future and success. O&G is our foundation, the shoulders for us to stand on, and renewable power developers and companies must create bridges to welcome people and companies with skills to diversify into renewable energy sectors.
“While there isn’t an offshore wind project with some O&G innovation as part of it, I heard offshore wind professionals talk about needing to come out of their silos. I heard O&G professionals talk about more diversification and the need for faster electrification of oil and gas extraction. We talked about ‘and’ not ‘or’.
Mr Maier said he visited a number of companies at the exhibition that were already transferring their innovation to applications in offshore wind, floating offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture.
“At Great British Energy, we want to be part of this new outlook of ‘all energy’ and build bridges, not barriers. The work to accelerate local supply chain opportunities starts here.”
David Whitehouse, OE25 conference chair and chairman of Offshore Energies UK, said: “It was important to see industry unite in embracing a future economy that requires ‘all energy’, encompassing oil and gas, renewables, hydrogen and storage.
“Our entire sector is ‘in it together’ and it was heartening to hear GB Energy chair Juergen Maier echo these sentiments.
“It shows the criticality of the industry to the UK economy that energy minister Michael Shanks, the leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, and Deputy First Minister of Scotland Kate Forbes engaged in the debate.”
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