Powering growth in a fragmented world: Strengthening policy foundations for secure energy systems

Energy policy is changing due to rising demand, geopolitical realignment and the quest for energy sovereignty. Many countries are not just replacing fuels; they are expanding their overall supply to support economic and industrial growth. Natural gas and LNG play key roles in this expansion. They help secure energy, diversify sources and promote stable, affordable growth. Meanwhile, governments face pressure to strengthen resilience, protect vital infrastructure and keep energy systems attractive for investment amid increasing market volatility. 

Practical policy frameworks can balance national goals with global needs, easing pressure. This means aligning supply development with infrastructure growth. It also requires creating creditworthy markets to attract long‑term investment and promoting lower‑carbon technologies without compromising reliability. As electricity demand rises and supply chains fragment, cross border and cross sector coordination is vital. Strategic partnerships in gas and LNG, power generation, grids, storage and digital systems are key. They help to share risk, mobilise investment and strengthen system resilience. 

At this roundtable, the focus will be on strategies for creating diverse, affordable and resilient energy systems in a rapidly changing world. Discussions will focus on how governments can boost energy security, advance decarbonisation, support industrial competitiveness and build the policy foundations for a stable global energy system through 2030 and beyond. 

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

Natural gas remains crucial for system stability as electricity demand grows, digital infrastructure expands and industrial activity increases. As markets prioritise reliable 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. 

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 pipeline and storage capacity, while market designs must prioritise firmness, flexibility and system availability. Emissions performance, based on efficiency, methane reduction and targeted CCUS, should also be incorporated without compromising reliability. As digital loads increase and regional supply dynamics change, coordination across networks, pricing structures and risk‑sharing mechanisms are becoming essential. Strategic partnerships that connect upstream supply, midstream networks and power system operations are vital for mobilising investment and strengthening resilience. 

This roundtable will 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 by rapid expansion of digital and grid infrastructures, will require a transformation of Japan’s energy systems. This fundamental structural shift must progress against an immediate global backdrop of highly volatile geopolitics, where supply chain crunches and energy shocks are challenging market pricing and investment decisions. Offshore wind tenders, solar initiatives and large-scale storage deployments are progressing quickly. An ambitious rehabilitation and restart programme for Japan’s nuclear sector is being prioritised to strengthen baseload capacity, while LNG remains an essential balancing fuel within the energy mix. However, to overcome constraints to Japan’s progression towards becoming a future-ready electrostate, a range of strategic imperatives need to be fast-tracked - dialogue and strategy must quickly translate to action and escalation. 

Roundtable participants will discuss how, as electrification gathers momentum in a highly challenging global energy landscape, Japan can maintain reliability and affordability across its power systems. From reforms on corporate power purchase agreements and regional balancing markets, through to developing hybrid thermal-renewable portfolios and major domestic and international interconnector projects, what strategic initiatives will prove most effective? What changes to regulatory and market mechanisms are required, and which key pillars of a diversified new energy mix will enable Japan’s next-generation power transformation?  

Building LNG portfolio resilience and flexibility amid geopolitical and supply chain
disruptions

Global LNG is entering a period of change. Flexibility, resilience and market design will shape long-term success. A supply wave had been expected to boost liquidity and ease market tightness, benefiting price-sensitive demand hubs in Asia, especially. However, recent geopolitical upheaval and trading corridor disruptions have demonstrated that energy security relies not only on delivery volumes, but also on supply diversity, options and enough storage.  

In this context, LNG contracting is changing. Buyers and sellers are rethinking how to share risk across the value chain and balance duration, indexation and destination flexibility. Clear pricing signals and models are becoming more important as markets seek reassurance during periods of volatility, particularly as price fluctuations impact buyer confidence in emerging demand regions. A key part of securing supply is to create adaptable agreements that maintain value and performance through industry cycles.  

This roundtable will shape the agenda for future LNG portfolios. It will examine how best to align procurement with system needs. Key topics will include moving from firm capacity to flexibility and price visibility, risk-aware market investment frameworks and strengthening supply chain resilience, from liquefaction to delivery.  

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 competitiveness and resilience; they will also help shape the performance and adaptability of the wider 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 will bring 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 will discuss the development of energy systems that attract investment in an era of increasing capital requirements. The discussions will focus 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 will examine the key strategic decisions that will shape the next decade of power and electrification. Participants will focus on building 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. 

Participants will review the low carbon solutions that are showing real traction in the energy sector, examining their performance, economics and scalability. They will also 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.