The European Union and several other Countries are actively defining trajectories along the pathways to mitigate the Climate Change risks, in particular by reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. Several solutions are being approached in parallel with more or less emphasis, such as phasing out fossil fuels, electrification, energy efficiency, carbon capture, reforestation and others, but it is becoming always more clear that the solution will pass through an holistic and extensive approach rather than a single and exclusive path, embracing a wide range of options in order to allow for proper adaptation to the different production processes and for implementing operational flexibility required for unpredictable events, which are always more and more frequent.
SPE association has been for years and still is an organization focused on the dissemination of technical knowledge through the establishment of a wide network among energy companies and contractors; this “short-circuit” approach is even more important and crucial in this new transition era where solutions and opportunities come from a land of compromises between existing players (O&G and energy companies) and new ones (industrial emitters) being suddenly exposed to the cost of the decarbonization and forced to find immediate solution to avoid extreme consequences.
In line with this background characterized by long-term ambitious environmental targets, technical and technological challenges, short-term actions for preserving the existing industrial sector and socio-political instabilities always more difficult to anticipate, the SPE Italian Section wishes to provide their contribution for the next 2022-2023 term further strengthening and supporting the topics relevant to both O&G new solutions for a decarbonized market as well as to the development of a wide scheme of energy transition themes, even with a larger representation of other industrial sectors and energy supply chains into the association. The activities would develop into these two main clusters:
• Oil&Gas evolution considering both transition towards systems more efficient, less emissive and circular, as well as development of short-term solution for guaranteeing energy security and autonomy/independence in gas supply for Europe and Italy
• Energy transition and decarbonization with an inclusive approach considering all existing and emerging technologies (renewables, hydrogen, CCUS, biofuels, sustainable mobility, fusion, etc..) and identifying the successful area of applications
In line with the existing board organization, some novelties are proposed to help the association to be more adaptive to the recent evolution. First, new important players of the energy transformation and transition are proposing their candidatures for the Board of Directors. Following this evolution, new key roles have been introduced in order lead the themes relative to Energy transition and decarbonization topics, as well as to catch the opportunity for representing also other sectors of the energy related sector positions; the new positions are:
“Discipline leader - Energy transition and decarbonization systems”, “Discipline leader - Transportation and distribution of energy vectors”, “Discipline leader – Policies & Regulamentation” and “Membership expansion”).
Furthermore, another strategic role has been introduced: Energy Diversity, Inclusion & Communication. This new function wants to assure an opening to a broad diversity of skills, experiences and thoughts to ensure that both the O&G and the energy industry reflects the actual society at large and includes societal expectations.
Finally, the candidates for each Director position are ready to work to create a collaborative and proactive team in order to maximize the results of each single event or initiative.