Heavy industries and shipping are significant contributors to global carbon emissions and face challenges to delivering lower carbon processes due to high thermal demands and stringent carbon reduction targets. Hydrogen could be a promising solution for decarbonising these heavy-emitting sectors due to its high energy content and versatility, allowing it to be used as both a heat source and a chemical reagent in various industrial processes. But, for hydrogen and its derivatives to enable a decarbonised future for heavy industry, substantial advances in hydrogen production, infrastructure development, regulatory support, and technological integration need to happen simultaneously. Scaling up the production of hydrogen, enhancing transport and storage infrastructure, implementing supportive policies that incentivise investment, and developing technologies that effectively integrate hydrogen into existing industrial systems are critical steps towards realising this potential.

Attendee insights:

Gain a better understanding of the opportunities low-carbon hydrogen can open for decarbonising heavy industry, the innovative technologies poised to facilitate progress and the challenges to overcome in integrating hydrogen into industrial processes.

Electrifying the energy system is widely recognised as the backbone of the energy transition. As the world accelerates efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, electrifying demand across industrial activities, data centers, heating, cooling, and transport is paving the way to a low-carbon future. However, expanding the electricity system to meet the annual demand growth equivalent to that of the world’s 10 largest cities poses significant challenges.

Attendee insights:

This Energy Talks will explore how major electricity players are responding to the surge in demand and the critical role collaboration plays in advancing the electrification agenda.

The International Energy Agency estimates clean energy investment must reach $4.5 trillion per year by the early 2030s to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Despite the rapid growth of the clean tech sector and the new opportunities it creates for businesses and investors, clean energy investment remains significantly lower than required, due to the capital-intensive nature of clean energy projects and their long payback periods. Additionally, many of the technologies and solutions have not yet been proven in the market, adding another layer of investment risk. Supportive policies such as tax incentives, and financial innovations such as large public funding programmes, will pave the way for innovative cleantech projects to thrive.  

 Attendee insights:

Understand strategies for de-risking and incentivising clean technology investment.

Egypt plays a key role in the energy sector; not only has the country been driving economic stability and growth through strategic reforms, the government’s commitment to transparency, investment and regional cooperation has really showcased its leadership and robust investment opportunities. In addition, Egypt continues to drive its vision to become an energy hub by investing in key strategic partnerships, and emphasising the country’s focus on maximising production, while assuring global energy stakeholders that it will build on past efforts to drive further progress toward a just energy transition.

Attendee insights:

In this Energy Talk, H.E. Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Arab Republic of Egypt will discuss Egypt’s key priorities and the new government’s mandate, Egypt’s investment opportunities, the importance of partnerships for its energy sector and the country’s progress towards energy security and a sustainable energy future.

In 2023, the IEA reported that energy employment reached nearly 67 million in 2022, with about 35 million in clean energy sectors and about 32 million in fossil fuel sectors. Its Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario projects that 14 million new clean energy jobs will need to be created by 2030, while another 16 million workers shift to new roles related to clean energy. Energy organisations have equally critical dual challenges - securing talent and skills to deliver the new energy system while retaining legacy talent and skills for traditional energy production. As with the energy transition itself, solutions will be complex and must take into account employee value proposition evolution, rising employee expectations, the opportunities enabled by a global talent pool, and efficiencies created by emerging new technologies like AI and machine learning. In an increasingly competitive labour market, how can businesses attract and retain the energy talent required to deliver the energy transition?

Attendee insights:

Hear from industry leaders on how they are attracting new talent for the energy transition roles of the future whilst retaining legacy talent for their traditional energy business. Understand from a young graduate perspective what it means to enter the energy industry vs another industry.

Heavy industries and shipping are significant contributors to global carbon emissions and face challenges to delivering lower carbon processes due to high thermal demands and stringent carbon reduction targets. Hydrogen could be a promising solution for decarbonising these heavy-emitting sectors due to its high energy content and versatility, allowing it to be used as both a heat source and a chemical reagent in various industrial processes. But, for hydrogen and its derivatives to enable a decarbonised future for heavy industry, substantial advances in hydrogen production, infrastructure development, regulatory support, and technological integration need to happen simultaneously. Scaling up the production of hydrogen, enhancing transport and storage infrastructure, implementing supportive policies that incentivise investment, and developing technologies that effectively integrate hydrogen into existing industrial systems are critical steps towards realising this potential.

Attendee insights:

Gain a better understanding of the opportunities low-carbon hydrogen can open for decarbonising heavy industry, the innovative technologies poised to facilitate progress and the challenges to overcome in integrating hydrogen into industrial processes.