A pioneering consortium aimed at helping developing and emerging nations improve the efficiency of their oil & gas and renewables’ industries was launched at a United Nations Association Scotland (UNAS) charity dinner in Edinburgh on Friday, November 8.
The landmark Ethical Energy Consortium (EEC) sees global-leading energy services company, Senergy, join forces with the UNAS along with organisational transformational management specialist, Miascape, and leading international Government advisory firm, Adam Smith International.
Around 100 high-profile business leaders attended the event at Edinburgh City Chambers where East Lothian MP and UK Parliament International Development Committee member, Fiona O’Donnell, was one of the guest speakers.
The launch also raised funds for the UNAS towards supporting young Scottish engineers who have volunteered to go to Africa to work on humanitarian and energy efficiency projects next summer.
Ian Williamson, commercial vice president at Senergy, said: “Global demand for energy has never been greater and Resource Nations recognise that energy growth is essential for economic growth. However, many Resource Nations need help gaining international best practice and insight into new and better energy options.
“The UNA and many other international institutions are both endorsing and seeking to actively support transformation of national organisations to improve the efficiency of energy developments and infrastructure. This will lead to attractiveness for investors and especially international investors, while reaping the benefits to the resource nation. As such it is important that a new ethical energy transformation model is introduced - a best practice model based on good governance, technical expertise, innovative commercial arrangements, and insightful transformation management.”
As a result, the ground-breaking EEC aims to deliver energy innovation, transformation and best practice across the energy sector as well as improved extraction efficiency to help ensure robust sustainability. This would lead to reduced life cycle costs and environmental impact while the EEC will help create education and training programmes to encourage and develop vision and strong technical and management performance.
Completed EEC models are to be presented to the UN Development Programme for consideration as best practice exemplars for adoption and then global roll out. The EEC has also committed to donating a proportion of its earned profits towards mutually identified humanitarian projects within Resource Nations, with disbursement being managed by the Caledonia International Development Trust which is the OSCAR registered charity conduit of UNA Scotland.
Mr Williamson said: “Senergy aims to bring its market-leading technical expertise and ethical integrity to the EEC. We want immature and experienced Resource Nations to become Centres of Energy Excellence to the benefit of their national resources, the consolidation of their nation's wealth and the improved well-being of their citizens.
“The EEC has already made significant progress with firm leads and business opportunities being developed in Kenya, and the Ivory Coast, among others, some in partnership with the World Bank. These opportunities will be worth well over $500,000 at their first stages alone.”
Among other speakers at the launch were Ken Stewart, director of strategy at Miascape and director of international affairs at UNAS; James McCallum, chief executive officer at Senergy, which recently became a member of Lloyds Register (LR) Group; Eoghan Mackie, chief executive officer at Challenges Worldwide; Duncan Bury, chief executive officer at Miascape; and Gari Donn, convenor at UNAS.
Claire Sim, marketing supervisor at Senergy and the newest member of UN Scotland, will read the preamble to the UN Charter while Scottish comedian, Arnold Brown, added to the entertainment.
Ken Stewart at Miascape, said: “Emerging resource Nations deserve a more listening, sensitive and inclusive approach to help them address their current development concerns. Miascape will help introduce best practice management flow into their capacity building programmes and help them nurture and embed a sustainable and effective energy programme. This emerging emphasis reflects the growing awareness among developing and emerging Nations that International Development investment can have a greater positive impact than in the past.
“The nuanced inclusive stakeholder approach will help embed a sustainable, robust, transparent energy policy and underpin future employment growth and help create a platform of economic advancement for existing and emerging resource Nations. EEC looks forward to presenting our exemplars of best practice energy extraction to the United Nations Development Programme for their consideration as global models for adoption and international roll out and help deliver a future sustainable legacy to the betterment of resource Nations and their citizens.”
The initiative to send young Scots to Africa is to become an annual event. Those selected to travel will either have participated in Model United Nations conferences while in 5th or 6th form at school or at university or will be nominated by current or prospective stakeholders. It is aimed at giving young people a life-enhancing opportunity and boost the growing confidence that many have gained from participating and debating in Model UN conferences.
Picture caption: Dr Gari Donn, convenor of the United Nations Association of Scotland (front) with, from left to right: Ken Stewart, director of strategy at Miascape and director of international affairs at UNAS; Duncan Bury, chief executive officer at Miascape; and commercial vice president at Senergy.