Energy Transition specialist joins OPC

Energy Transition Specialist Max Richards joins OPC

OPC’s Energy Transition services have been boosted by the appointment of Max Richards as Energy Transition Services Lead.

Max is based in our London office and is the key point of contact for all clients wanting to navigate towards Energy Transition. He has an MSci in Environmental Geoscience, completing his masters project in Carbon Capture and Storage. Max will co-ordinate the provision of OPC’s technical, consultancy and training services to the fast-growing sector.

Max said:

“This is a particularly exciting time to join this rapidly growing industry. The Clean Growth Strategy Group estimates the low-carbon economy sector will expand 11% per year up to 2030 and more recently Larry Fink CEO of BlackRock commented “There is no company whose business model won’t be profoundly affected by the transition to a net zero economy”. It is from this basis I will be expanding OPC’s Energy Transition business, helping clients navigating Energy Transition to leverage this change to their benefit.”

Mark Carney called the transition to net zero “The greatest commercial opportunity of our age”, and whilst the transition does represent an opportunity for long-term growth it also enables businesses to begin thinking about how to mitigate climate change risks on their business models, avoid stranded assets and reputational harm, and prepare for net zero by 2050. Businesses who want to succeed now need to have detailed plans for net zero by 2050 and will need to demonstrate greater Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials, and integrate this thinking into Field Development Plans. With a growing body of evidence linking ESG performance with superior market returns and rewarding a premium to those companies transitioning faster.

COP26 driving ambition to meet climate targets

With COP26 in Glasgow around the corner, there is increasing ambition to drive regulatory change to meet specific climate targets. Understanding how these regulatory changes may affect businesses will be required. Leveraging OPC’s inhouse technical expertise we will focus on developing technologies that will allow for expanded consulting on Carbon Capture and Storage projects and Geothermal Wells. This will allow our clients to drive their energy systems to become net zero as well as minimising CO2 emissions of existing processes.

Max will be expanding OPC’s bespoke training courses to include Climate Change and Energy Transition. He commented

“I recently read that only 7% of US Corporate Board members were “climate competent” meaning they knew enough about climate change to understand how it would affect their business. Considering this, I will be working develop and deliver bespoke training courses to bring business leaders up to speed on Energy Transition, and Climate Change risks and impacts. But I also understand that what is most important currently, is for businesses to leverage the skills they have, so I will be focusing on training to reorientate existing capability towards Energy Transition. This will mean initially focusing on Carbon Capture and Storage, Geothermal, and off-shore Wind”