The World Energy Issues Monitor provides a snapshot of what keeps CEOs, Ministers and experts awake at night in over 100 countries. The Monitor helps to define the world energy agenda and its evolution over time. It provides a high-level perception of what constitute issues of critical uncertainty, in contrast to those that require immediate action or act as developing signals for the future. It is an essential tool for understanding the complex and uncertain environment in which energy leaders must operate, and a tool through which one can challenge one’s own assumptions on the key drivers within the energy landscape.

BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) Executive Director Tina Schirr welcomes the release of the World Energy Council’s Issues Monitor for 2020. The Issues Monitor provides a snapshot of what keeps energy policymakers, CEOs and leading experts in 104 countries awake at night.

Tina Schirr is open to new ideas and innovations, wherever they come from.“I want to pick the brains of smaller innovative firms, along with the larger firms, about transitioning to a sustainable energy future,” says the BusinessNZ Energy Council’s new executive director.

Critical Uncertainties and Action Priorities have remained fairly similar to the previous year’s perspectives, with the former revolving around digitalisation issues and the latter revolving around sustainability issues.

What role should the government play in developing the country’s hydrogen sector? The government’s Vision for Hydrogen in New Zealand green paper has attracted more than 70 submissions with stances ranging from enthusiasm to strong scepticism.

The New Zealand Government should support all forms of hydrogen production if it wants to develop a viable hydrogen economy, a visiting energy expert says.

BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) executive director Tina Schirr welcomes the Government’s announcement that it is helping deliver more infrastructure and options for low emissions transport through new projects.

Mainstream technologies can’t deliver energy storage on the scale needed to decarbonise power grids, says the World Energy Council. But a narrow focus on lithium-ion batteries is hindering development of alternative technologies.

BusinessNZ Energy Council executive director Tina Schirr welcomes the release of the World Energy Council’s (WEC) Innovation Insights Brief - Five Steps to Energy Storage. The brief suggests mainstream storage technologies are likely insufficient to meet future flexibility requirements resulting from further decentralisation and decarbonisation efforts.

BEC2060 media release