On Day 3 of SPIGF 2019, the Youth Day participants met top-managers of energy companies to discuss the future of the global energy business.
Opening the meeting, Sergey Khomyakov, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Board of Directors mentioned the Youth Day was the most exciting event at the Forum. "It has brought together the brightest and dynamic people," he explained. On Day 3 of the Forum, the most enthusiastic and creatively minded participants were awarded with special prizes.
The Youth Day at SPIGF 2019 ended with a discussion held by Rob Veersma from Gazprom International Training and Pavel Metelyov from Higher School of Economics, the St. Petersburg State University of Economics. The discussion was participated by Cederic Cremers (Shell Russia), Andreas Schierenbeck (Uniper), Han Fennema (Gasunie), Mario Mehren (Wintershall Dea) and Thomas Morris (OMV).
Together with the leaders of the oil and gas companies, the young people tried to find answers to the most topical issues of the energy business. In particular, Han Fennema, Chairman of the Executive Board at Gasunie drew the emerging specialists’ attention to the fact that energy balance of the European Union is going through certain changes. European states are concerned with switching to clean energy, and this creates a certain potential for gas energy development.
According to forecasts, by 2050 at least 50% of electrical energy will be produced through the use of renewable sources. However, natural gas as one of eco-friendly hydrocarbon fuels will still hold a prominent place in the global energy balance. The global population keeps growing, and the UN believe that by 2050 it will increase from today’s 7.6 bln to 9.8 bln people, reaching 11.2 bln in 2100. At the same time, energy consumption is steadily expanding. That’s why fossil fuels – oil and gas, which cover about 50% of the world’s energy consumption, will be popular energy resources anyway. Here, certain consistent changes are expected: increase in importance of natural gas, RES and atomic energy.