The reliability imperative: Positioning natural gas at the core of modern power systems

Natural gas remains crucial for global energy system stability as electricity demand, digital infrastructure and industrial activity all continue to increase. As markets prioritise reliable power supply, natural gas provides the firm, flexible capacity that supports grid reliability, coal-to-gas switching and faster renewable integration. At the same time, systems are under pressure to control costs, reduce emissions and maintain investment confidence amid persistent volatility - amplified by geopolitical dynamics.

To achieve this, frameworks are needed that combine national goals with the commercial and operational realities of modern energy systems. Deploying gas‐to‐power requires robust infrastructure investments and market designs that prioritise firmness, flexibility and system availability. Strategic partnerships that connect gas and LNG supply, midstream networks and power system operations are vital for mobilising investment and strengthening resilience. Innovative commercial and operational frameworks are needed to reduce costs and emissions across the full value chain.

This roundtable was designed to focus on practical strategies for a modern natural gas agenda. These will include aligning gas‐to‐power with digital and industrial demand, strengthening market frameworks that prioritise reliability, scaling infrastructure that reduce supply risks, and embedding credible emissions performance to enable natural gas to continue providing affordable power, industrial strength and financial stability through the next phase of electrification.

Enabling Japan’s power system transformation: Accelerating the electrification trajectory

Meeting growth in future power demand driven by key industry sectors, such as data centres and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as broader digitalisation and industrial electrification, will require a transformation of Japan’s energy system. This fundamental structural shift must progress against an immediate global backdrop of highly volatile geopolitics, where supply-chain constraints and energy shocks continue to challenge market pricing and investment decisions.

Renewable deployment and large-scale storage are advancing, but recent challenges in offshore wind have highlighted growing pressures around project economics, supply chains, inflation and risk allocation. A continued restart programme for Japan’s nuclear sector is being prioritised to strengthen baseload capacity, while LNG will remain a major component of Japan’s power generation mix and an essential source of flexibility for years to come. Securing sufficient LNG supply at competitive prices, while managing exposure to global gas-market volatility, will therefore remain critical to Japan’s energy security and power-market affordability. However, to overcome constraints to the development of a future-ready power system in Japan, a range of strategic imperatives need to be fast-tracked – dialogue and strategy must quickly translate into investment and delivery.

Building LNG portfolio resilience and flexibility amid geopolitical disruption and market evolution

Operational excellence in the age of AI: Scaling intelligence across energy systems

Artificial intelligence is becoming a key capability in the planning, operation and optimisation of energy systems. Advanced analytics, machine learning and real-time decision support are providing benefits throughout the energy value chain – boosting grid flexibility, improving forecasting, reducing emissions and enhancing asset performance. For energy leaders, the conversation has shifted from whether AI adds value to how it can be scaled to deliver operational and system-level impact.

However, adoption is uneven. Fragmented data architectures, legacy infrastructure and evolving governance frameworks continue to constrain enterprise- wide deployment. Despite this, growing evidence suggests organisations using AI at scale will set the standard for competitiveness and shape the performance of the energy systems they operate in. To bridge the gap between proof of concept and operational transformation, deliberate leadership choices are needed around data strategy, technology integration and responsible AI governance.

The organisations that institutionalise AI at scale will not only set the benchmark for operational swider energy systems in which they operate. As those systems grow in complexity, the ability to apply intelligence in real time will become a defining differentiator. This roundtable brought together senior leaders across energy and technology to debate what it takes to move from pilots to enterprise-wide deployment, to system-level transformation, and to do so securely and responsibly. 

Financing resilient and investable energy systems

Global energy systems are entering a crucial investment phase as electrification, large-scale infrastructure development and increasing demand come together. The need for capital is growing across LNG and gas‐to‐power, grids and storage, and low carbon solutions, yet investors are becoming more selective. The main challenge is no longer the availability of capital, but the ability of countries to provide the regulatory certainty and efficient permitting processes that make projects viable on a large scale.

In this context, the key to success lies in carefully managing risk and aligning the interests of policymakers, developers and financiers. Long‐duration funding from institutional investors, sovereign funds and private capital is being directed to assets that offer stable revenue streams, clear policy support and reliable delivery models. Countries that provide streamlined permitting, transparent regulation and predictable policies are increasingly determining where capital is invested, rewarding those that turn policy goals into investable projects. At the same time, partnerships that combine public and private funding, along with improved governance and international cooperation, remain essential for mobilising investment on the required scale, particularly in Asia and emerging markets.

This roundtable was designed to discuss the development of energy systems that attract investment in an era of increasing capital requirements. The discussion focused on improving the financial viability of projects, enhancing the regulatory and permitting environment to attract long-term capital, and creating investment frameworks that accelerate infrastructure deployment while delivering long‐term, resilient returns. 

Electrification at scale: Strategic choices for a new era of power

Electricity has become the backbone of global economic growth as digitalisation and industrial transformation drive up demand. The increasing use of AI, data centres, transport electrification and advanced manufacturing is changing load patterns and putting sustained pressure on grids, supply chains and system operators. The need to maintain reliability and affordability, while advancing decarbonisation, has made the trilemma of security, transition and competitiveness a top priority for strategic decision‐makers. As a result, the ability to generate large amounts of reliable power is becoming a key competitive advantage in the race for industry, capital and digital infrastructure.

This rapid pace of change is highlighting the structural constraints that will shape the future of the sector . To meet growing demand, power systems must be able to integrate higher levels of renewable energy while ensuring they have the flexible capacity needed to provide continuous power . This will require networks to expand and modernise quickly, supported by storage, digitalisation and advanced grid intelligence. Market and regulatory frameworks must also be updated to attract long‐term investment, speed up permissions and reward systems that provide value. As supply chains tighten and critical minerals become more strategic, diversified sourcing and regional cooperation will be essential to sustaining electrification at scale.

This roundtable was designed to examine the key strategic decisions that will shape the next decade of power and electrification. Participants explored how to build power systems that are resilient, affordable and attractive to investors, how to align infrastructure, market design and investment with growing demand and how to ensure electrification supports economic growth and energy security while creating a more competitive and sustainable energy system. 

Prioritising high impact low carbon fuels and technologies across a capital-constrained energy sector

The energy transition has moved beyond ambition into execution. Across the value chain, low carbon fuels and technologies are being deployed on a meaningful scale, ranging from green hydrogen and biofuels to carbon capture, offshore wind integration and grid-scale storage. As a result, senior energy industry leaders are focused on which solutions are delivering results, at what cost, and under what conditions.

However, with a growing range of technologies and fuels competing for capital, the industry must differentiate between solutions that are commercially proven and replicable, and those still maturing toward viability. Political headwinds, financing constraints and infrastructure readiness vary significantly by region and asset class, influencing which decarbonisation pathways are genuinely accessible and which remain aspirational.

This roundtable was designed to allow participants to review the low carbon solutions that are showing real traction in the energy sector, examining their performance, economics and scalability. Participants were also asked to assess assess where deployment is strongest, what conditions are enabling it, and how industry stakeholders can align capital allocation and strategy with the solutions most likely to deliver lasting decarbonisation outcomes.