Knowledge and shared intelligence are vital tools in a fast-changing energy landscape

From the Creators of the Fuel for Thought Podcast, for which Season 7 has begun here

The global energy ecosystem is being rewritten in real time. Boardrooms, investors, fuel producers and policymakers now sit at a crossroads where climate ambition, regulatory certainty and investment intersect. Yet the most decisive resource in this developing energy landscape may not even be infrastructure, capital or technology. Rather, it could be knowledge. The ability to understand, anticipate and translate technological, policy and market shifts into action and project planning is a major business issue, writes Topsoe’s Lisbeth Høier Harpsøe.

Change in the energy sector is accelerating. New technologies emerge, others mature, while policies evolve and investment focus changes. In this environment, the ability to see opportunity where others see risk can be difficult. That capacity relies on judgment – and good judgment relies on knowledge, experience and shared intelligence.

Changing flight plans in turbulent skies

Few areas illustrate this more clearly than Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Expected to account for two-thirds of aviation’s decarbonization, SAF production is growing but remains caught between lofty aspiration and scaled implementation. Policy incentives, mandates and targets are gaining traction, but opportunities to accelerate progress and scale impact remain.

Increasing the production of SAF is a cross-sector, even supra-sector, challenge that encompasses many factors from certification and logistics to risk sharing and adoption incentives. And with any comparatively new area in fuels, such as SAF, things can change. And quickly. Navigating such a landscape requires a deep understanding of trends, risk assessment, capital structures, regulatory developments, policy implementation and differing regional markets. To use an aviation metaphor, knowledge is the compass that guides us through turbulence and helps us chart a steady course toward opportunity. As responsible stewards of the industry’s future, we believe that sharing insight is a vital key to collective progress.

Knowledge as key to unlocking new markets

Lisbeth Hoier Harpsoe – Marketing Director at Topsoe

This is where knowledge and knowhow combine to deliver valuable and timely insights from across the supply chain. Topsoe collaborates with partners to understand and shape business models, objectives, and long-term strategies. By sharing insights and intelligence, our ongoing partnership empowers you to anticipate change, seize new opportunities, and future-proof your business. In a fast-moving energy landscape, where regulations and markets can change in months, an ongoing dialogue between business and technology partners can become almost as important as the physical assets themselves.

In an online world, this customer dialog goes beyond direct customer meetings and on-site collaboration. Blogs, articles, podcasts, newsletters and webinars all provide arenas where industry actors can exchange lessons, highlight new perspectives and build networks. Topsoe’s position as a catalyst, technology and knowledge provider across the energy ecosystem puts us in a great position to bring together insights from experts and thought leaders for the good of collective progress.

The idea of sharing knowhow and driving the industry conversation has led to initiatives such as The Fuel for Thought Podcast, Webinars, SAF Talks video interviews, the Topsoe Academy and the BrainFuel newsletter. They are part of a broad commitment to the energy community: to create spaces and platforms where knowledge is not only accumulated but also shared by experts in ways that help decision-makers see opportunities more clearly and act with greater confidence.

Confidence through shared expertise

The success of platforms like SAF Talks and The Fuel for Thought Podcast – it has reached over 2.7 million downloads over its first six seasons! – is based on industry guest experts, drawn from all across the fuel and chemical value chain. These are the experts in policy, infrastructure, finance and overcoming barriers that bring real world examples and learnings to the listener.

These diverse voices, from refinery strategists and technology developers to policymakers and investors, combine to create a forum for candid exchange and dialog. Leaders gain confidence not only in the opportunities ahead but also in their ability to manage risks because they hear how peers and competitors are addressing the same challenges. Topics like offtake structures, EU–US policy divergence, hydrogen project risk or EPC contracting are unpacked in a way that supports executive decision-making. In this way, the theory becomes reality. Pitfalls and opportunities are equally addressed. A way forward is charted.

The advantage of understanding

The intent of The Fuel for Thought Podcast, SAF Talks videos and our BrainFuel newsletter is simple: to accelerate the collective learning curve. When we share honest and transparent lessons about revamping hydroprocessing units, about hydrogen system design or about SAF offtake structures, we create real-life reference points others can build on. This raises the quality of the industry’s discourse and helps projects move forward more smoothly.

Feedback from decision-makers often highlights the fact that they subscribe and listen to the podcasts and videos because they encounter content grounded in real engineering trade-offs, investment best practices, and within a regional and global context. The fact that The Fuel for Thought Podcast has now entered its seventh season, with millions of downloads, reflects the demand for deeply informed conversations.

Leading through knowledge sharing

In this era of flux and diversification for the energy sector, the concept of scarcity is also being redefined. Scarcity is no longer just about raw materials, feedstock of investment capital; it is also about clarity. Executives and decision makers who treat knowledge as a strategic asset – and who actively receive and share it through platforms like The Fuel for Thought Podcast – are shaping both the industry conversation and its future. By exchanging stories and strategies, we empower each other to see opportunities where others see obstacles. In this way, we’re not just adapting to change, we’re shaping the future of energy, together.

• Season 7 of the Fuel for Thought podcast has begun on your favourite listening platform.