Powering the Energy Transition: A Tale of Two Hemispheres | Part II: Repurposing Legacy Assets

On June 27, the GBSN for Energy Transition Impact Community held it’s second part in their virtual series, Powering the Energy Transition: A Tale of Two Hemispheres Part II: Repurposing Legacy Assets. This virtual series was designed to convene perspectives through the lens of the global north and global south, while exploring key elements of the energy transition journey. We invited both practitioners and academia from around the world, and was joined by 45 participants from 20 countries.

We’d like to give a special thanks to our Impact Community Leads, Gregory Bean, Director, Guitterez Energy Management Institution from Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, Sarah Craig, Programme Manager Energy Transition, Rotterdam School of Management, Dr. Yashar Ghiassi-Farrokhfal, Associate Professor at the Department of Technology and Operations Management at Rotterdam School of Management, Lwazi Ngubevana, Director at the African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC), Wits Business School, and Maurice Radebe, Head and Director of Wits Business School, as well as our four panelists, Thulani Gcabashe, Wouter Jacobs, Eveline Otten and Dr. Stanley Semelane. Thank you for your thought provoking dialogue and for enlightening us with your shared combination of expertise, passion and engaging conversation.

Featuring

• 

  Thulani Sikhulu Gcabashe

  Founder and Executive Chairman
  BuiltAfrica Holdings
  South Africa
  
• 

  Wouter Jacobs

  Academic Director of the Leadership in Commodity Trade and Supply Networks
  Erasmus University
  Netherlands
  
• Eveline Otten

  Energy Transition Advisor
  Shell Netherlands
  Netherlands
  
• 

  Dr. Stanley Semelane

  Head of Stakeholder Relations, ESG & Sustainability
  Sasol Limited
  South Africa
  

Watch the Recording

Session Synopsis

“Powering the Energy Transition: Part II: Repurposing Legacy Assets”  featured guest speakers Thulani Gcabashe, Wouter Jacobs, Eveline Otten, and Dr. Stanley Semelane, moderated by Greg Bean.

Co-hosted by University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business, Wits Business School, and Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, The discussion explored the challenges and benefits of repurposing legacy fossil fuel infrastructures for a low carbon energy future through the global north and global south lens.

Greg Bean moderated an interactive and provocative dialogue with the four speakers, addressing questions like:

• What are likely to be the key new uses of existing fossil fuel assets in new low carbon energy value chains (electricity, hydrogen,  biofuels, synthetic fuels) and producing lower carbon oil and gas)?
• Why do we repurpose? What is the rationale?
• How might environmental, regulatory, community impact and legacy liability issues affect repurposing investments?
• How might repurposing investment be financed, especially in the Global South?
• What kinds of incentives are we seeing governments use; what is effective?

GBSN for Energy Transition Impact Community

The goal of the GBSN for Energy Transition impact community is to advance knowledge on the business-related challenges and opportunities of the transition to a global sustainable energy system in line with the energy-related themes of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These include topics like:

• Energy Access
• Energy Security
• Air Pollution
• Adverse Effects and Ancillary Risks
• Energy Efficiency
• Financing

Next Steps for the Community

Join the GBSN for Energy Transition Impact Community as we convene practitioners and academia from the global north and global south as we explore how technology plays a role within the global energy transition. Join us as we dive deeper into how the technology advancements on energy efficiency can achieve a sustainable and low carbon future.