CEO View: Energy Heroes

Behind every healthcare system is an energy system – and a crew of engineers and system operators who are working hard to keep the lights on, homes warm and refrigerators cold. As brave healthcare workers and researchers around the world are working around the clock to treat the sick and develop a vaccine, I would also like to thank those behind the scenes working to literally keep the power on as billions move to working and schooling at home and to secure clean, affordable and reliable energy, especially for the millions of people who lack access.

It is too early to say what the long-term impacts of this crisis will be on the world’s energy systems. Very low oil prices are a game-changer and not only for energy players and transition pathways. But whether or not an economic recession, banking crisis or financial system adjustment is triggered, this crisis has reinforced that the need for reliable energy – and digitally skilled energy workers - remains constant.

It is important, even as we experience crisis, to remember that we can build societal resilience through energy transition if we pull together as a worldwide community of energy systems designers, builders and pathfinders. At the World Energy Council, we are using the resources at our disposal to do just that.

We are committed to enabling today’s energy transition experts through actionable insights and supporting that action through our movement making WE Lab platform -  to catalyse, scale and sustain community-based decision making to drive new and better energy pathways on a global and regional basis.

We are committed to building the energy transition experts of tomorrow - the next generation of responsible energy leaders - and to closing the workforce skills and capabilities gap. Through our WE Academy multi-level training platform, we will support the Energy Heroes of today by developing the necessary reinforcements – properly trained and at the forefront of their fields.

At the World Energy Council, our shared goal of humanising the energy transition was formed from recognition of the rise of the social  energy agenda – the need to involve people in pulling forward transition need to focus of the wellbeing of individuals and communities. As the Covid-19 pandemic reaches most corners of the world, pulling together as a community has never been more important - to share experiences, practice and leadership. These are challenging times for our community, testing the resilience of our organisations and energy systems.

We are grateful to the heroes of today – the essential workers in fields from energy and healthcare to transit, agriculture, manufacturing and many, many more – and we remain fully committed to doing our small part to support you in the ways that we know how. We are committed to uninterrupted engagement and communication, and the continuation of programme delivery, as we navigate these challenging times.