This dialogue centred around the global energy crisis and fuel shortages which led to blackouts, and rising electricity costs across Europe and Asia this past winter.
His Excellency Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, and President and CEO of QatarEnergy, compared the European and Asian energy markets, saying “during this situation with Ukraine, we are not going to divert away from Europe, although we have the contractual right to do that.”
Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO TotalEnergies stated, ““Energy is a triangle: security of supply, pricing, and climate… We must find the right balance… Gas is part of this transition, because it gives the flexibility to move from coal to renewable to fully carbonised.”
Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine was also discussed, with Anders Opedal, President and CEO, Equinor, saying, “We are in a war situation, so now it is about finding some of the short term solutions to ensure people get the energy, and particularly, it is important to ensure that we are not moving from an energy crisis to a fuel crisis.”
The panelists also explored the question of what role producer nations play in ensuring the world has adequate and affordable supplies of fuel while countries work towards building the infrastructure needed for a transition to more renewable energy sources. They additionally explored how suppliers can work together to regulate prices and manage supply, while protecting their interests in a world increasingly committed to green energy.
