October 2017

The industry is in a period of transition, not just in the EMEA region but all over the world. President Trump continues to bring uncertainty to the fore, demand in emerging markets remains extremely strong, renewables are carrying on their rise to the top, and big-name companies from all over the industry are having to reassess their strategies to stay in line with what customers want and need.

It was announced recently that during 2016, the fastest growing source of new energy was solar – thanks in the main part to China’s installation of a large number of new panels. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said that two thirds of energy added to grids in 2016 came from renewables. Perhaps we have legislation to thank for this, or maybe it’s marketing and the adjustment of human conscious; whatever the case, this change has brought about innovation and new thinking. But with Donald Trump reversing Obama’s clean power plan, the future of the drive towards renewables looks uncertain.

One company looking to provide certainty is DONG Energy, or Ørsted as it is now known, which has divested from oil and gas operations and is now working only on renewable projects; a move from black to green.

Another easily-recognisable brand, Porsche, is set to mark its first move in a new direction when it releases its Mission e model next year. Priced at around $85,000, the electric powered car will be a best-in-class offering that will rival Tesla on the road.

The stories of both Ørsted and Porsche, along with other news from BP, Shell, Statoil, Siemens Energy, Schlumberger and more are all included in this month’s Energy Foucs: EMEA.