Engaging Voices for Transformation: Intergenerational Insights on Energy Priorities and Uncertainties

Engaging Voices for Transformation: Intergenerational Insights on Energy Priorities and Uncertainties

For the past 15 years, the World Energy Council's World Energy Issues Monitor has been a critical tool for tracking global and regional energy trends and uncertainties, guiding collective action priorities toward achieving clean, inclusive, and more transformative energy transitions. Each year, the Council gathers insights from a diverse range of policymakers, business leaders, and experts from within and beyond the energy sector, offering a comprehensive view of the forces shaping the pace and scale of energy transitions.

The Issues Monitor focuses on two essential areas: Action Priorities - where countries and companies are actively advancing their energy transition efforts - and Critical Uncertainties - issues that demand strong leadership attention. Over the past decade, the Monitor has also captured the perspectives of the Council's Future Energy Leaders, providing an invaluable intergenerational comparison of action priorities and uncertainties. This input reveals not only the most pressing priorities but also highlights evolving viewpoints across generations, helping bridge insights between established leaders and emerging voices in energy.

Perceptions vary among group stakeholders

Across Future Energy Leaders, executives, and global views, several shared themes emerge, particularly regarding critical uncertainties such as commodity prices, infrastructure action planning, and demand management. Action priorities also align around the urgency of extending and strengthening transmission grids and energy storage to support energy transitions and affordability of energy services. However, notable distinctions include the Future Energy Leaders' emphasis on effective international collaboration, workforce transitions, and climate adaptation as top priorities requiring adequate resources and coordinated action

Navigating Uncertainties: The Diverging Focus of Executives and Future Energy Leaders

While Futures Energy Leaders perception of critical uncertainties, such as commodity price volatility or supply chain disruptions, align closely with the global average and the views of Executives, other issues exhibit a greater degree of variation in the level of perceived uncertainty.

Demand management, affordability and infrastructure action planning are recognised as critical uncertainties by both groups; however, the level of uncertainty among Executives is significantly higher than that among Future Energy Leaders. This may be due to the broader responsibilities that Executives face, which require them to navigate a complex landscape of market dynamics, regulatory changes, and operational pressures. Additionally, their focus on strategic decision-making and resource allocation can heighten their awareness of the risks and uncertainties. In contrast, Future Energy Leaders may approach these challenges with a more collaborative and innovative mindset, viewing them as opportunities for growth and transformation.

A Unified Call: The Imperative to Strengthen Transmission Grids for Energy Transitions

A clear point of convergence across geographies and demographics is the identification of transitioning power grids as the top action priority. This emphasis, alongside the importance of infrastructure action planning, and the awareness of supply chain disruptions and critical minerals, underscores the growing need for robust and resilient infrastructure to support energy transitions.

Strengthening and extending power grids is essential for achieving a highly electrified energy system, supporting growing demand and addressing significant bottlenecks in the transition process. Future Energy Leaders identified a cluster of associated issues of relatively lower uncertainty that are imperative for success, including infrastructure action planning, public acceptability / NIMBYISM, stakeholder coordination, access to capital, energy storage, and workforce transitions.

Towards an Inclusive Energy Transition: Bridging Perspectives Between Generations

In analysing perspectives on inclusivity and societal issues within energy transitions, a notable trend emerges: the global average reflects higher uncertainty regarding the rise of populism, public acceptability, and stakeholder coordination. Executives exhibit comparatively lower uncertainty about populism and stakeholder coordination but still regard acceptability as a significant concern. In contrast, Future Energy Leaders (FELs) perceive these issues with even less uncertainty, indicating a pressing need for proactive action in promoting inclusivity.

This divergence in perspectives can be attributed to several factors:

1. Operational Focus: Executives are often focused on immediate organizational challenges and market pressures, which shapes their heightened concerns about societal issues, in particular acceptability and NIMBYISM. Their emphasis on strategic decision-making leads to greater awareness of the risks associated with acceptability and coordination.

2. Innovative Mindset: Future Energy Leaders prioritise a vision of a more inclusive transition, viewing societal issues through the lens of opportunity rather than threat. Their commitment to "humanising energy" encourages them to actively engage with these challenges as essential components of successful energy systems.

3. Engagement with Diverse Stakeholders: Young professionals often prioritise inclusivity and collaboration across all segments of society. This engagement fosters a more optimistic outlook on the potential benefits of addressing societal concerns, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives in the transition process.

Engage and Shape the Future of Energy Transitions Together

The World Energy Issues Monitor is more than a report - it's a call to action to advance collective understanding and identify opportunities to accelerate global energy transitions. As the conversation continues to evolve, we invite energy leaders, policymakers, and young professionals alike to share their perspectives, engage with the findings, and foster intergenerational dialogue on these pressing priorities and uncertainties. By working together, we can shape a transition that is both inclusive and resilient, ensuring a sustainable energy future for all.

Stay engaged with the Monitor's insights, connect with leaders across generations, and contribute to a more diverse and transformative vision for the energy sector. Register your interest to contribute to the next edition of the World Energy Issues Monitor and help illuminate the pathways to faster, fairer energy transitions: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5RF8CPS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Future Energy Leaders

Francisco Beltrán, PhD Candidate, KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Igor Malgieri, Head of International Affairs, Edison

About the Future Energy Leaders

Future Energy Leaders are an integral part of the World Energy Council's global energy community. Collaborating closely with today's energy leaders across the Council network, they work to build shared understanding and foster more effective cooperation in the pursuit of faster, fairer, and more far-reaching energy transitions worldwide. The Council's global Future Energy Leaders programme is complemented by national Future Energy Leaders programmes around the world-communities of young energy professionals within individual countries, connected to the national Member Committees of the World Energy Council.

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