Cleaner Energy Policy Makers' 'Travel Guide'
The summary provides some key lessons and recommendations for policy making amidst the uncertainties and hectics that come with the energy transition. ‘Clients usually ask ECN to do quantitative analyses to get a better grip on a dossier’, says Marc Londo, author of the guide together with Michiel Hekkenberg. ‘‘This travel guide sketches the more fundamental and qualitative outlines of our energy challenge: what are current developments in certain themes and what do policy makers need to take into account to effectively steer towards a transition to cleaner energy? The overall report (only available in Dutch) also goes into context factors specific to the Netherlands, but this two-page summary can be of general relevance for other countries as well.
Skills Shortages Could Scupper UK Energy Plans
Surging demand for energy, an aging workforce and a lack of new entrants to the industry is combining to threaten delivery of the energy strategies of countries worldwide. Addressing delegates at the ‘People: The Real Energy in Oil & Gas’ conference in London, John Westwood, MD of energy business analysts Douglas-Westwood, cited the UK as likely to have particular problems with delivery of its power station replacement and renewable energy plans. “We are seeing an unprecedented demand for energy, driven by China in particular, at the same time as production of oil & gas is reducing in non-OPEC areas such as the UK North Sea. The result is oil prices at record levels and a surge in exploration & production activity, particularly in the Middle East.
