| | NOVEMBER 20258EUROPEEUROPELEADING THE LOW-CARBON TRANSITION IN ENERGYBy Marcos Matijasevich, Head of Low Carbon Transition, Essar Oil (UK) LimitedFuelling the FutureMy motivation stems from the opportunity the oil refining sector has to shape the future of low-carbon energy while personally playing an active role in defining the path for-ward. At EET Fuels, we are developing one of Europe's larg-est energy transition hubs, producing the low-carbon fuels and chemicals of the future, using the Stanlow refinery as the cornerstone upon which we are deploying leading tech-nologies that are turning our vision into reality. Being at the forefront of this evolution in our industry adds a unique di-mension, fuelling our drive to succeed.Overcoming the Low-Carbon Energy ChallengesUndoubtedly, the energy sector faces several significant challenges, but the private and public sectors have been working together for some time to overcome them. Although the UK has yet to capture and permanently sequester its first ton of CO2, substantial investments have been made to develop projects and build/upgrade assets, preparing for effective decarbonisation once Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) infrastructure is operational.Many of the challenges revolve around the scale and skill set of the workforce required, the technological maturity of specific processes and public perception­particularly when installing new infrastructure near populated areas. Some projects, particularly those focused on producing CCS-en-abled hydrogen or deploying industrial carbon capture tech-nologies from existing combustion processes, require gov-ernment financial support through emerging business models, adding another layer of complexity. At EET, we face similar challenges, but our pri-mary focus areas are securing the necessary finan-cial backing and, navigating the lengthy planning process and permitting approvals while devel-oping the projects to and through the execu-tion phase.Leading the Charge: Key Leadership Traits To achieve net zero in the private sec-tor, leaders must establish a clear IN MY OPINIONMarcos, a Chemical Engineer from UNL and an MBA graduate from Oxford University is a senior leader in the oil refining and petrochemical industry with expertise in industrial decarbonization. He leads EET Fuels\' decarbonization strategy, devel-oping low-carbon transition projects to create one of Europe's largest energy transition hubs. Marcos also serves as Chair of the Hydrogen and CCUS Advocacy Committee within Fuels Industry UK, focusing on transforming the Oil Downstream Sector into a critical enabler for achieving a net-zero United Kingdom.Through this article, Marcos Matijasevich outlines the transformative steps being taken in the oil refining sector to align with the global shift towards low-carbon energy. Matijasevich shares his motivations for moving into low-carbon projects, emphasiz-ing the pivotal role the oil industry can play in shaping a sustainable future. He highlights the key challenges the UK energy sector faces in adopting low-carbon technologies, such as the need for skilled labour, technological maturity and public acceptance.
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