Shell's Epic V-Power to E-Power Road Trip

Shell suggest their V-Power fossil fuel for engines deliver 'best performance and efficiency' - well isn't that a coincidence?!

E-Power for electric motors delivers exactly the same result, albeit by very different means and with considerably different consequences...

Both are now available on some Shell forecourts - so which should you choose?

My friend Robert Llewellyn visited one of Shell's 43,000 forecourts late last year to find out some of the facts - you can check that out on his fantastic YouTube Channel.

Reflecting on what Rob had learned, I went along to 'Powering Progress Together' in London's Olympic Park last Thursday to hear from an eclectic group of speakers who had been invited by the oil and gas giant to discuss what that power might be, how we were all progressing in using it, and perhaps most importantly of all, how, where, why, when, and what we should be doing in order to mitigate unadulterated man-made climate change.

The quality of presentation and debate was both informative and often challenging. For instance, Baroness Brown of Cambridge artfully framed the discussion on where we go from here (her 2007 King Report, a seminal piece of work on low carbon vehicles, hugely inspired me to continue working in the EV sector) Interestingly, she suggested that large vehicles aka SUV's were chiefly responsible for increased CO2 in the UK - not the switch from diesel to petrol as often cited by industry bodies such as the SMMT. We need more politicians like the good Baroness - plain talking - evidence based - no BS.

Ahead of the bunch of speakers and EV related topics, our excellent host for the day Nina Hossain introduced Shell CEO Ben Van Beurden - an individual with monumentally important influence both within his company and way beyond . For a variety of reasons it's not everyday you get the chance to be up close and personal with such a person...

Lucky for me, in addition to a front seat for his keynote/introduction, I also had the chance to join a small media huddle afterwards, and have a drink and an interesting conversation with both Ben and his colleague Maarten Wetselaar after the event.

Firstly, to put in context my perspective of the day, I'd like to remind you of my pet mantra on 'the way forward'

"The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old - but on building the new"

For example, why not encourage a constructive and realistic dialogue between Greenpeace and Shell? The CEO alluded to that in his opening remarks, and I also asked Mr Wetselaar if we might see the day where both parties collaborate rather than simply confront - carefully caveating his answer - he said he could.

You perhaps subscribe to the cornucopian philosophy of humanities future, you may be Malthusian, or you may be in some place in between those two extremes. Wherever you may be, at no time in history has there been greater access to education for the masses, a greater opportunity to question and challenge, and a more important moment to connect and catalyse. Perhaps in doing so we will see not just greater corporate social responsibility, but greater individual social responsibility with a bundle of both carrots and sticks used to make that happen.

As I chatted with Mr Van Beurden after the show, I saw him not just as a big cheese of a fossil fuel monolith, but more as a father like me, a person keen to make a positive difference, and someone who knows that the legacy we leave our children and our children's children is unthinkably stark if we fail to acknowledge we need to change - and change fast.

“She had heard that the Earth was warming up and being destroyed by people like Shell,”

Mr. van Beurden recently recalled how his 9-year-old daughter had once come home from school in tears. (as reported in The New York Times - May 15 2018)

Just like Ben's kids, my kids (Josh 28) and (Nat 26) are always on mind and help motivate me to do what I do. The Earth is indeed warming up, but truth be told, we are all responsible for that in each and every one of our daily actions to a greater or lesser extent. Put simply, and please forgive the following clumsy and perhaps uncomfortable analogy, but, as either a user or a pusher, we are all equally part of the problem.

The challenge for us all is to become part of the solution.

So, how have I come away from what some will inevitably see as a 'corporate sheep-dip'?

Fully swayed in favour of an Oil & Giant in all they say and do? - Of course not!

Put on the books as a paid-for-below-the-line lobbyist? - Nah - not my style!

However, I do come away feeling that we are truly at the tipping point of essential change. Change starts at the top, and unless Mr van Beurden gets toppled by those that may see his radical ideas as not in the interest of the status quo, his leadership decisions will be critical for us all. "The future of Shell in an electric era" posted by Ben here on LinkedIn a few months ago is well worth a read in the meantime.

They used to say...

"You can be sure of Shell"

I think we can sure of Ben! - time will tell if we can be sure of Shell.

For reference, here's the full agenda from the day:-